Zaheer Pasha Survives Early Jolt To Enter Next Round As Maharashtra Open Carrom Challengers Trophy Begins

International carrom player Zaheer Pasha of Karnataka fought back after dropping the first set to defeat Anil Tayshete of Maharashtra in the Maharashtra Open Carrom Challengers Trophy. Zaheer lost the opening set 11-17 but bounced back strongly to win the next two sets 25-0 and 25-5, sealing a dominant comeback victory.

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FPJ News Service Updated: Friday, January 30, 2026, 11:59 AM IST
Zaheer Pasha (L) of Reserve Bank of India |

Zaheer Pasha (L) of Reserve Bank of India |

Mumbai: International carrom player and national champion Zaheer Pasha of Karnataka survived a scare against Anil Tayshete of Maharashtra to win 11-17, 25-0, 25-5 in the third Maharashtra Open Carrom Challengers Trophy sponsored by Life Insurance Corporation of India on

Thursday. Tayshete created a sensation in the first round by winning the first set 17-11 however, Zaheer maintained his challenge by winning the second and third set.

Organisers Maharashtra Carrom Association and all the players paid emotional tribute to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and President of Maharashtra Olympic Association Ajit Pawar before the tournament got started.

Vasudev Mukherjee, Head of Life Insurance Corporation of India Dadar Branch and Atul Mehra of SISCAA Carrom Company played a board to formally inaugurate the event.

RESULTS

Open Singles First Round Omkar Tilak (Maharashtra) vs Raghunath Waghpanje (Maharashtra) 13-27, 17-13, 15-5; R Arokiaraj (Tamil Nadu) vs Irfan Khan (Maharashtra) 18-10, 19-6 Rinki Kumari (Maharashtra) vs Jagannath Maitrani (Maharashtra) 25-0, 22-0; Prajakta Narayankar (Maharashtra) vs Suryakant More (Maharashtra) 20-4, 23-10; Ritikesh Valmiki (Maharashtra) vs Asgar Shaikh (Maharashtra) 4-22, 16-14, 17-15; Khatim Khalil (Maldives) vs Riazuddin Shaikh (Maharashtra) 25-125-0; K Srinivas (Telangana) vs Jitendra Rathod (Maharashtra) 205, 25-5; Sageer Ahmed (Uttar Pradesh) vs Abdul Qayyum (Maharashtra) 250, 25-0; Kajal Kumari (Maharashtra) vs Satish Kharat (Maharashtra) 1410, 18-2; Ibrahim Hujan Ali (Maldives) vs Uday Ghadigaonkar (Maharashtra) 24-9, 16-2

Published on: Friday, January 30, 2026, 11:59 AM IST

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