In a dramatic climax to the men's world junior team squash championship, favourites Egypt beat second seeds and defending champions Pakistan 2-1 in the final in Palmerston North, New Zealand, to clinch the men's teams' world title. Just as Egypt's reigning world junior champion Rami Ashour did when he defended his title last week to win the world crown for the second time in his history, Ashour led his teammates to secure the team title for the second time since the championships began in 1980. The top two seeds Egypt and Pakistan had safely gone through to the title decider, after comprehensive victories in the semis. Egypt had hammered third seeded England 3-0, with individual world champion Ashour setting the standard, crushing Tom Pashley 9/4 9/0 9/2. Pakistan also won 3-0 against fourth seeded Malaysia, with all three matches won in straight games. Malaysian number one Elvinn Keo came close to taking a game off the individual world runner up Aamir Atlas Khan, but was ultimately beaten 9/4 10/8 9/1. In the final, the first match between the two-time individual world champion Ashour and Khan went to four games in a tight battle which ended somewhat controversially when Irish referee Jack Allen called Khan for time-wasting with the score at 9-8, handing the match to Ashour. Khan was suffering from cramp from the point before and requested time to recover, but this was denied by the official. Defending champions Pakistan clawed back the initiative in the second match, a see-saw battle between two evenly- matched players. The advantage swung back and forth several times until Farhan Mehboob wore down Egyptian Tarek Mo'men to clinch a 9-6 4-9 9-6 9-5 victory in 65 minutes to level the tie. In the tense decider, title-holders Pakistan caught sight of the winning post when Yasir Butt overturned a one-game deficit to lead Egypt's Omar Mosaad by two games to one. Mosaad, who beat the Pakistani in straight games en route to last week's world individual final, recovered the advantage however and, after 90 minutes, thrilled his Egyptian teammates by winning 9-4, 0-9, 4-9, 9- 5, 10-8 to clinch the title. Egyptian coach Amir Wagih thanked God immediately after the final as emotions overflowed following the winning point. Mosaad, accepting the trophy on behalf of the Egyptian team, thanked his coach and teammates for their support and the people of Palmerston North for their welcoming hospitality over the last two weeks. Malaysia crowned a sensational two weeks in New Zealand by beating four- time champions England in the play-off for third place. Originally seeded seventh in the event, the Malaysian squad were elevated to fourth seeds after their showing in the individual event then battled to a surprise 2-1 win over the third seeds. With a previous best finish of sixth in 13 appearances in the event since 1982, their bronze medal victory in Palmerston North was a notable triumph for the young team. Germany, led by European junior champion Simon Rosner, beat seventh seeds India 2-0 in the play-off for fifth place to equal their previous best-ever finish in 1988. Ninth seeds and surprise quarter-finalists Hong Kong beat fifth seeds Canada in the play-off for seventh place to celebrate their first top 10 finish in 11 appearances in the event since 1982. In the play-off for ninth place, The Netherlands beat 12th seed Australia 3-0, while 10th seed South Africa beat the 11th seed Switzerland 2-1 in the play-off for 11th place. The 13th place went to the US who were seeded 14 when they beat Ireland 3-0, while the home team only managed to win 15th place by beating 17th seed Japan 2-1. The last two places went to Finland and Zimbabwe. The 16th seed Finnish team beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in just 85 minutes in the play-off for 17th place. The African team Zimbabwe came at the bottom of the tally.
