Kathmandu, November 27:

Nepali shuttlers Balram Thapa and Sumina Shrestha advanced to the mixed doubles semi-finals at the Pakistan International Championship with a 21-16, 21-17 victory over Pakistan’s Parby Akhtar and Isha Akram in Islamabad today.

Another Nepali pair Pankaj Chand and Sujana Shrestha, however, lost to Sri Lanka’s Dinuka and Renu Chandrika 13-21, 14-21 in another mixed doubles quarter-final. The team of Balram and Pashupati Paneru was knocked out of the men’s doubles quarter-finals with a 19-21, 21-19, 14-21 loss to Irfan Rana and Rana Rizwan of Pakistan.

Sumina and Sujana also crashed out of the women’s doubles, losing 21-17, 20-22, 17-21 against Pakistani pair Sadiya Arsad and Aneega Rana. Sumina and Kishor Rana were knocked out from the singles quarter-final.

Thilini Jayasinge of Sri Lanka bounced back from a set down to beat Sumina 17-21, 21-18, 21-16 in the women’s singles match while Kishor went down 14-21, 15-21 against Niluka of Sri Lanka in the men’s singles quarter-final match. The mixed doubles semi-finals are scheduled for Wednesday.