ISLAMABAD: In a historic win, Pakistan became the Asian Junior Squash Team champion after defeating India in a thrilling match in Chennai on Sunday.

The highly anticipated contest between the arch-rivals was expected to be a close match, but Pakistan dominated with ease, winning the trophy with a 2-0 victory.

Noor Zaman, Pakistan’s talented young player, stole the show in the first match with his exceptional performance against Krishna Mishra. The match was a nail-biting experience for spectators, as both players gave it their all, but Zaman’s mastery on the court was too much for Mishra to handle. The match was wrapped up in just 35 minutes, with Zaman clinching the win with a game score of 12-10, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9.

In the next match, Mohammad Hamza Khan doubled Pakistan’s lead and ensured the victory when he defeated Paarth Ambani in straight three games with a score of 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 in just 20 minutes.

Pakistan has been a dominant force in squash events at the Asian level for many years, and their current junior players, particularly Noor and Hamza, have been playing exceptionally well.

However, the country has struggled to produce top players who can bring home international accolades at the senior level, despite ruling the squash world for decades with legends like Jansher Khan and Jahangir Khan.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023