Top Seeds Advance in National Badminton Championship
The first day of the POF Board National Ranking Badminton Championship at Wah Cantt saw action-packed men’s and women’s singles matches, highlighting the upset potential and fierce competition brewing in the tournament.
Men’s Singles Commence with Thrilling Encounters
Sixty-four players are vying for the men’s singles title, and the opening round saw several thrilling matches.
Irfan Saeed (Wapda) dominated Ahmed Faizan (Wapda) with a decisive 21-9, 21-4 win, while Mohammad Ahmad (Punjab) overcame Abuzar Rasheed (SNGPL) in a tighter contest, 21-17, 21-12.
In another exciting match, Mohammad Adnan (Army) triumphed over Mohammad Jamal (KP) by 21-15, 21-15, showcasing his strong form.
Abdur Rehman (Wapda) staged a comeback to overcome Hussain Shahzad (Punjab) 19-21, 21-16, 21-9, demonstrating his resilience.
Azeem Sarwar (Wapda) also secured a victory with a 21-11, 21-15 win against Qasim Rasheed (Islamabad).
Abdullah Latif (Army) dominated Sohaib Yaseen (Punjab) in a straight-sets 21-7, 21-7 win, while
Jalees Konain (SNGPL) powered past Hafiz Abdul Manan (Punjab) with scores of 21-13, 21-11.
The challenge continued as Muqeet Tahir (Wapda) triumphed over Mekaeel Khan (KP) with a comfortable 21-8, 21-9 victory.
Tahir Khan (Police) proved victorious against Mohammad Uzair Khan (KP), winning 21-14, 21-13.
Umer Jahanghir (SNGPL) emerged triumphant over Fahad Ahmed (KP) with a score of 21-11, 21-13.
A thrilling three-set battle saw Ahsan Asif (Wapda) defeat Faiz (Army) by 19-21, 21-18, 21-12.
Raja Zulqarnain (Army) dominated Akif Badar (Punjab) by hitting 21-13, 21-10.
Hamdullah (KP) secured his victory against Danyaal Shahzada (KP) with scores of 21-15, 21-13.
Techeedullah (KP) overcame Hamza Khan (KP), winning 21-19, 18-21, 21-11.
Aoun Abbas (Wapda) beat Faizan Ali (Punjab) 21-16, 21-18.
Ali Mehdi (Wapda) defeated Umair Khan (Islamabad) 22-20, 21-17. Implementing strategic serves, Ibrahim Rasheed (Punjab) won against Shabbar Hussain (Wapda) by 21-12, 21-15.
Women’s Singles Debut with Strong Performances
Thirty-two women * competed in round-of-32 matches, setting the stage for intense competition in the early rounds.
Ghazala Siddique (Wapda) asserted her dominance with a comfortable 21-14, 21-9 victory over Alja Tariq (Army).
Ana Ali (Wapda) fought through a challenging match, prevailing 13-21, 23-21, 21-11 against Sidra Asif (Wapda).
Umama Usman (SNGPL) dominated Shahnaz Shah (Wapda), defeating her 21-7, 21-3. Sehar Abdul Majeed (Punjab) outsmarted Sehra Akram (Wapda) 21-4, 21-3. Saima Waqas (Wapda) secured a 21-10, 21-18 victory over Aimen Fatima (Punjab).
Zubaira Islam (SNGPL) showcased her skills in a straightforward win, defeating Zainab Azam (Islamabad) 21-7, 21-7.
Kanzul Eman (Punjab) fought hard for her victory over Aqsa Zikriya (SNGPL), ultimately winning 14-21, 21-12, 21-19.
Laiba Masoud (Wapda) secured a comeback victory against Palwasha Bashir (Sindh) 10-21, 23-21, 22-20. Sana Hanif (SNGPL) easily overcame Faryal Arshad (KP) with scores 21-5, 21-9.
The first day’s matches lay the groundwork for what promises to be a thrilling competition, with
top seeds showing dominance and young talents showcasing promising potential.
What were some of the notable upset victories or near-upsets in the men’s singles competition on the first day?
## Top Seeds Advance, Upsets Loom in National Badminton Championship
**Interviewer:** Welcome back to the show. We’re getting a firsthand look at the action unfolding at the POF Board National Ranking Badminton Championship in Wah Cantt.Joining me today is Alex Reed, a badminton analyst who’s been closely following the opening day’s matches. Thanks for being here.
**Alex Reed:** My pleasure. It’s been an electrifying first day, full of surprises and strong performances.
**Interviewer:** Absolutely! The men’s singles saw some exciting clashes right from the start. Were there any matches that particularly stood out for you?
**Alex Reed:** Definitely! Irfan Saeed from Wapda dominated his fellow teammate Ahmed Faizan with a decisive win, showing his dominance right off the bat [[1](https://www.dawn.com/news/1876766)]. It’ll be interesting to see how he progresses through the tournament. We also saw some tight contests, like Mohammad Ahmad’s win over Abuzar Rasheed – that was a real nail-biter.
**Interviewer:** We heard about some come-from-behind victories as well.
**Alex Reed:** Yes! Abdur Rehman of Wapda demonstrated tremendous resilience, coming back from a set down to beat Hussain Shahzad. It shows the fierce determination of our players.
**Interviewer:** What about the women’s singles? Any notable performances?
**Alex Reed:** We’ll have to wait and see how the women’s singles unfold further into the championship. Day One was focused on the men’s singles, and it was a thrilling start!
**Interviewer:** Looking ahead, what are your expectations for the rest of the tournament? Are there any players you think could be potential dark horses for titles?
**Alex Reed:** It’s still early to say, but with so much talent on display, this championship is wide open. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some upsets in the later rounds. This is definitely a tournament to watch!
**Interviewer:**We appreciate your insights. Thanks for joining us and sharing your analysis on this exciting badminton championship.
**Alex Reed:** My pleasure.
