Simlai sweeps Maria, Ziya Hassan advances

Indore, Sep 22 (UNI) Carrom superstar and two-time world champion Arjuna Awardee Anthony Maria Irrudiyam of Indian Airlines lost to Dibyendu Simlai of LIC with a margin of 1-2 scoring 18-22, 25-13 and 15-25 in the second round match of Men's Single event of 14th All India Federation Cup Carrom Tournament here last evening.

In the first game, Dibyendu Simlai covered with bindings to Maria up to 16 to nil. However, Maria managed to reach 18-22.

In the second game, Maria easily came up to the mark.

In the third game, it was in vein. The best game of Maria was only in the 4th board of first game and 7th board of second game, as his break was tremendous to get 7 and 8 points respectively.

In another set back, Maria lost in the third round of Men's Doubles 3rd round partnering another international player Mahimairaj against BSNL pair James Pradhan and R N Nayak in a struggling match at 14-16, 11-19.

In another interesting match, host player ex-MP sub junior champion and current MP No 6 Ziya-ul-Hassan displayed his tremendous skill and technique to overpower ex-world no 3 Raju Katare of Bank Sports Board with 25-8, 25-13.

Another local star Pradeep Deodhar made an easy entrance in the third round after defeating UC Sharma (Assam) by 24-11, 25-6.

In the Women Doubles second round, a surprising result was the defeat of pair of World No 1 and World No 3 S Appoorva and P Nirmala of LIC by Sneha More and P Thangamilly (Petroleum Sports Promotion Board) by 23-4, 18-25, 7-25.

Host Women pair Prabha Naidu and M Makawana crushed Chattisgarh pair Ankaleswar and Vishakha by 25-0, 25-0.

Earlier, reining World Champion R M Shankara of Indian airlines with his partner M Natraj easily qualified for the third round of Men's Doubles event.

R M Shankara and M Natraj beat Mahibul Hamid and Nisar Ahmed of Jammu and Kashmir by 2-0 with a margin of 25-0 and 25-0.

In another exciting match former SAARC champion M Madhop Shing of Manipur and his partner Rakesh Singh upset Shankeel Ansari and Rasees Ahmed of Madhya Pradesh by 2-0 margin scoring 25-0 and 25-2.

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