Danish skips trials after disappointing show

Three slots filled; one left up for grabs ahead of world squash event.

KARACHI: The Pakistan team for the upcoming World Team Championship was close to being finalised as day two of the trials concluded yesterday.

Farhan Mehboob, Farhan Zaman and Nasir Iqbal are certain to fill three of the four available slots. In trial matches held yesterday, Sheikh Saqib registered a 3-1 win against Mansoor Zaman, while Nasir Iqbal thrashed Tayyab Aslam 3-0. Meanwhile, Danish Atlas did not appear on the second day after a disappointing performance on the opening day when he lost both his matches.

“Danish left the trials because his hopes diminished,” a Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) official told The Express Tribune. “He was confident of making it to the team but got a reality check and this shows that the PSF was right in its decision to hold trials instead of naming a four-member squad straightaway.”

When senior officials were asked about the fourth available slot being allotted to Aamir Atlas, they said his fitness would hamper his selection and that a fourth player would be finalised after the trials.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.