Noor in semis, Hamza falls in quarters

Malaysia's Yee in women's semis of U-23 World Squash

Pakistan's Noor Zaman kept the home flag flying with a convincing win over France's Melvil Scianimanico while Malaysia's Xin Ying Yee delivered the shock of the tournament as she took down No.2 seed Malak Khafagy in a fiery quarter-final contest at the U23 World Squash Championships on Tuesday.

The inaugural edition of the championships is taking place at the DHA Creek Club, Karachi, and feature an array of the world's top squash talent aged 22 and under. In another quarter-final clash, Pakistan's Hamza Khan went down in a hard-fought defeat to Malaysia's Ameeshenraj Chandaran.

Zaman continued to build a head of steam with a strong win over Scianimanico.

Zaman has quietly built real momentum this week in Karachi, with the 21-year-old Peshawar player starting the week with a watchful 3-1 win against Hussain Alzaatari before showing marked improvement to crush Jakub Pytlowany in round two. On Tuesday, Zaman found another level against the dangerous Scianimanico, and was quick all around court and devastatingly accurate. The No.2 seed – watched on by grandfather and former World No.1 Qamar Zaman – put the Frenchman to the sword 11-7, 11-9, 11-8.

Zaman will take on 3/4 seed Ameeshenraj Chandaran of Malaysia in the last four after Chandaran took down Zaman's compatriot and 5/8 seed Hamza Khan, with Chandaran fighting his way to a 3-1 win over the 2023 World Junior Champion.

In front of a lively crowd, World No.82 Yee went in as clear underdog against World No.31, but belied the 51-place difference in the world rankings with a spirited opening game as she pressed Khafagy hard.

Khafagy, 20, was able to edge ahead as she took the opener 11-9, only to be pegged back 8-11 in game two.

Yee kept the momentum in game three, capitalising on mistakes from the frustrated Khafagy to move ahead for the first time with an 11-9 win, before Khafagy dragged herself level with an 11-7 game four win.

The other men's semi-final will be an all-Egyptian affair between top seed Ibrahim Elkabbani and 3/4 seed Kareem El Torkey, with Elkabbani taking down 2022 World Junior Champion Rowan Damming of the Netherlands and El Torkey defeating Swiss 5/8 seed David Bernet in straight games.