Pakistan boys too good for India

Defending champions Pakistan steamrolled India 3-0 to set up a title clash with Malaysia in the team championships of the boys event in the India Cements Asian Junior Squash championship in Madras.

Malaysia downed Kuwait 2-1 in the other semi-final.

The Indian boys now have a task on hand to beat Kuwait for the third and fourth places, for a bronze medal, on Saturday.

Incidentally, Kuwait made it to the medal round for the first time.

In the boys' semi-final, the three Pakistani players won in straight games,yielding just 14 points in all against 72 in their favour.

India's number one player Sahil Vora showed some resistance before going down 1-9, 3-9, 4-9 to Arshad Iqbal Burki in the first match.

Shahid Zaman, Pakistan's top seed and runner-up in the singles event a few days ago, downed Gaurav Nandrajog 9-1, 9-0, 9-0. In the 'dead rubber', Abhimanyu Jain lost to Farrukh Zaman 5-9, 0-9.

The Indian girls have already made it to the final which will be played on Saturday. Though only a miracle could help them win the gold against Malaysia, who are having the two best players in the region assisting them, World junior champion Nicol David and Tricia Chuah, India have assured themselves of a silver medal.