Squash world cup in Chennai from March 8

Chennai, Feb 27 (PTI) Top players, led by Malaysia''sworld number one Nicol David, will compete in the WSF squashWorld Cup to be held here from March 8 to 12.

A total of nine teams have been grouped under two poolswith the top two teams from each moving on to the semi-finals.

Hosts India, seeded six, have been drawn in Pool B alongwith England (second seed), Australia (3) and Mexico (7) whilePool A comprises top seed Egypt, France (4) Malayaisa (5),South Africa (8) and Sri Lanka (9), a World Squash Federationrelease here said today.

"The 2011 WSF World Cup, the first of three mixed teambiennial events will be staged initially at the Indian SquashAcademy. The final rounds would be played on an all-glass showcourt erected at the Express Avenue Mall, the largest shoppingcomplex in southern India," the release said.

Egypt would be led by former world number ones RamyAshour and Karim Darwish. Also in the Egyptian squad for theevent, the first world championship of the year, are MohamedEl Shorbagy, Raneem El Weleily and 17-year-old Nour El Tayeb,ranked 9, 11 and 18, in the world.

Expected to line up against the favourites in the finalare England, whose strong squad features Jenny Duncalf, JamesWillstrop, Peter Barker, Laura Massaro, and Tom Richards,ranked 2, 4, 8, 9 and 31, respectively, in the world.

Australia will be relying on a three-player squad,featuring world No 12 Cameron Pilley, former world No 1Rachael Grinham and Hobart-born Aaron Frankcomb, ranked 42 inthe world.

New national champion Camille Serme will lead France,while five-time world champion Nicol David will spearhead theMalaysian attack.