India's dream run ended on expected lines when they lost 1-2 to defending champions England, who set up a semi-final clash with Egypt, in the team event of the 12th World junior squash championship for men in Chennai on Friday.

Playing in their first ever quarter-finals, India could only put up token resistance, as England, eyeing their fourth straight title, proved superior and raced to a winning 2-0 lead before conceding the inconsequential third match.

While India's leading player Siddharth Suchde perished to England No.1 and newly-crowned individual champion James Willstrop 4-9, 7-9, 3-9 in just 26 minutes, Gaurav Nandrajog messed up good opportunities and went down to Jon Harford 7-9, 8-10, 5-9 in the second match.

Egypt, the runners-up in the last three editions, took their place in the semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Canada.

In the other quarter-finals, second seeds Pakistan too scored an easy 3-0 victory over Mexico while Australia, seeded third, survived some anxious moments in their first match before outplaying the United States 3-0.

Australia will take on Pakistan in the other semi-final.

India, whose previous best finish was a 15th placing  in 1992, play Canada while Mexico take on the US for fifth to eighth places.

Suchde, who got off to a flying start in the last two league matches against Egypt and Scotland, could do little against Willstrop, but for a brief fightback in the second game.

With the order of play changing in the knock-out phase 1-2-3 to 1-3-2, India were banking on Nandrajog to win the
second, but he committed a lot of unforced errors on crucial points despite rallying well after trailing his English opponent in the first two games.

In the opening game, down 1-6, Nandrajog came up with good placements to level scores and even took a 7-6 lead, but hit a drop shot into the tin to surrender the initiative. Harford did not waste the opportunity and took the game.

In the second game too, Nandrajog put up a good fight but faltered at crucial moments. The Indian was up 6-1 in the
third game but again allowed Harford to close the gap and take the match.

Nandrujog's loss left national junior champion Saurav Ghosal without a chance to have a go at Peter Barker, who has
a niggling injury, in the third match, which England wisely conceded, with the semi-finals slated for for the evening.

Indian Coach Cyrus Poncha acknowledged Nandrajog committed some unforced errors on crucial points, but said he
was satisfied with the performance of the team.

"England are hard to beat. Any how, we are now looking to beat Cananda," he said.