Dubai Squash Cup: Nasir retires, Aamir loses in semis

Pakistan number one cites stomach pain as reason for pulling out

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top-ranked player Nasir Iqbal said his run at the Dubai Squash Cup ended in disappointment after dropped out of the semi-final due to severe stomach pain while playing against Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad in the UAE.

Nasir, currently ranked 44^th in the world, had given top seed Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt, ranked 17th, a tough run in the first game but failed to carry on with the same venom as he pulled out in the second, with scores of 14-12 and 3-0 in favour of his opponent.

“I wanted to win the Cup as it would have helped improve my ranking, however, it just wasn’t meant to be,” a dejected Nasir told The Express Tribune.

“It’s an old injury which I suffered while playing the Lagos Cup last month. I was hit by a Nigerian player and that gruelling pain once again came back to haunt me.

“The disappointment is bigger because I was enjoying a fine run and had the momentum on my side, which enabled me to almost beat a top player like Gawad in the first game.”

Meanwhile, Aamir Atlas Khan lost his semi-final against second seed Chris Simpson of England in straight games, with scores of 11-7, 11-7 and 11-8.

 

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