Shabana won 11-9, 11-3, 11-2 against his Egyptian compatriot Ramy Ashour, the world champion, notching his second success of the tournament and keeping alive his chances of qualifying for the final.
He achieved it in only 24 minutes, which was a complete contrast to his disappointing opening day defeat to Thierry Lincou, and also very different to the fierce and brillantly contested victory over James Willstrop.
But it was not only the well-masked strokes which made Ashour plunge around the court which were a surprise. His 
slow return to match play after his injury problems had also masked how real were his chances of getting close to place in the final. G
It's an old trick,h he clowned as Robert Edwards, the MC, apologised on behalf of quite a number of doubters.
But Shabana wisely wouldn't be drawn as to his chances of regaining the world number one spot. All he would admit to was improving with the match practice, coupled with the assertion, that, bandage or no bandage, the knee was now all right.
But it was only in the first game that he was seriously tested. Thereafter Ashour was subdued, as he has been much of the time since his opening loss to Willstrop. Once again he didn't look himself, and the sooner he is again, the better for all of us.
There were brief moments of magnificence from both of them in the first game. Shabana went ahead at 7-4, before Ashour came back promisingly to 9-8 with a wonderful lob to a tight line.
But two forehand drives into the tin and the loss of the first game sent him into his shell, and Shabana, who had began to hit the ball with more and more venom.
He hit several wrong-footing cross courts, and also moved with more confidence with the thrusting changes of direction in the front court.
The result was evident by 3-1 in the third game and the match ended with sobering swiftness, enlivened only by Shabana's nice quip. Ashour disappeared quickly, hopefully to regroup his faculties and to come again strongly. He is far too good to play like this.
It left Shabana hoping for Willstrop to score a victory over Lincou which would create a three-way split of players with two wins at the top of the group, and the chance of sneaking through on a count-back of games.