Indian girls win Asian Jr. squash

Indian girls created history when they upset defending champions Malaysia 3-0 to win the gold medal at the 11th Asian squash championships in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

However, India lost 0-2 to Pakistan in the men's final and had to settle for the silver.

The Indian trio of Vaidehi Reddy, Joshna Chinnappa and Alisha Mashruwala steamrolled Malaysia. Reddy, who lost to Chinnappa in the women's singles final, beat Sally Looi 9-5, 9-1, 3-9, 9-6 while Chinnappa survived some anxious moments before quelling the challenge of Lim Yoke Wah at 10-8, 9-5, 7-9, 9-5.

In the third match, Alisa had no difficulty in beating Deli Arnold 9-2, 9-4, 9-1.

However, in the boys' section, both Sourav Ghosal and Siddarth Suchde were squarely beaten by Pakistan's Farkhan Mehboob [9-1, 9-0, 9-5] and Khalid Atlas [9-5 9-0 9-0] in the first two singles.

India's Gaurav Nandrajo did not play the third and final match, as Pakistan had already annexed the title.

This was Pakistan's 10th triumph in the 11-year history of the championship.

In the girls' play-off for the third and fourth places, Hong Kong beat Sri Lanka 3-0, while Kuwait claimed the bronze in boys' category, defeating Malaysia 2-1.