Naming Pakistan’s greatest of all times (GOATs) in racket sports may be difficult in only one discipline, ie squash.

In racket sports, the usual criterion to determine a player’s worth is the highest world ranking achieved by them. In the world of squash, however, seven Pakistanis have remained world champions, of whom three — Hashim Khan, Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan — stand out.

The two most prestigious titles in squash are the British Open and the World Open. If Jahangir Khan has won the British Open more times (10) than anyone else, then Jansher Khan was victorious at the World Open a record eight times. Meanwhile, Hashim Khan won seven British Open titles in the 1950s, winning the first when he was already 36. The World Open’s first edition was held in 1976.

In tennis, Haroon Rahim attained a singles world ranking of 34. Some would say Aisam-ul-Haq is the only Pakistani to have appeared in a Grand Slam final — the US Open Men’s Doubles and US Open Mixed Doubles (both in 2010). He also reached a ranking of eight in the doubles. But one must keep in mind that only the singles achievements are usually considered for GOATs; doubles are not taken into account.

Arif Khan, one of the greatest table tennis players that Pakistan has ever produced, looks back on his glory days…

In badminton, Tariq Wadood stands alone. He was ranked 12 by the International Badminton Federation (IBF). The World Badminton Federation, which was established in 1978 as a result of the dissatisfaction of some nations with the IBF, had just 22 members and existed only till 1981. Tariq Wadood did reach the final of the ‘world championship’ by the WBF in 1979 and was ranked No 2 by it. But his ‘authentic’ highest ranking is 12.

In table tennis, the name that stands head and shoulders above everyone was else was Arif Khan. Arif was world No 67 in 1984-85. His other unique distinctions include his being the only Pakistani to reach the Asian Championships’ quarter-final and the only Pakistani paddler to win an individual gold medal at the SAF Games (he won twice).

Arif Khan was the national singles champion thrice. Farjad Saif won the title a record 13 times.  However, as far as world ranking and international achievements are concerned, Arif Khan stands alone.

According to Arif, he was born to table tennis. “My late father, Majeed Khan, was the founder and secretary of Karachi’s Islamia Club, considered the nursery of table tennis in Pakistan,” he says.

“A keen player himself, and known as the father of table tennis in Pakistan, he dedicated his life to the game. Apart from numerous national tournaments, he organised no less than 13 international events in Karachi, which were participated in by players from major table tennis powers of the time, including China, Japan and Hungary. He was also appointed manager of the Pakistan team in international tournaments,” he adds.

“Two of my brothers, Mehboob and Sohail, were national junior champions. Mehboob represented Pakistan in senior and junior international events, Sohail in junior only.”

Obviously, the family possessed precocious talent. “I was only 14 when I was selected for the 1974 Asian Games. I must also mention that I greatly benefitted from training by some top Chinese coaches there,” says Arif, while adding that he represented Pakistan almost regularly till 1993.

He has participated in all the top international events — the World Championships (eight times), the Asian Championships (eight), the Asia Cup (eight), the Asian Games (four), the Commonwealth Championships (five), and the SAF Games (twice).

The 1984 Asian Table Tennis Championship was the first big international event staged at the newly built Jinnah Sports Stadium in Islamabad. It got much media attention and lots of spectators. The Table Tennis Federation and the Pakistan Sports Board both desired to see Pakistan do well, too.

Arif managed to reach the pre-quarter final, where he came across Japan’s No 1 and the former World Champion Seiji Ono. “I defeated him to move to the quarter-final, the only time a Pakistani qualified for the last eight in the Asian Championships,” Arif says.

In 1987, at Calcutta, table tennis was included at the SAF Games for the first time. “I made it to the final to meet the Indian icon, Kamlesh Mehta,” he says.

Kamlesh, the highest-ranked Indian, was the captain of the Indian team from 1982 to 1989. He won eight national championships, a record held for two decades. “We shared the first two games, the third was hotly contested with Kamlesh prevailing 25-23, and the hall erupted.

“I managed to stage a remarkable recovery and won the next two games to win the first-ever individual gold offered in any racket sport in the SAF Games,” Arif beams.

The next SAF Games (1989) were in Islamabad. Again, he met Kamlesh in the final. “This time, I was under more pressure. Being the defending champion, the home crowd expected me to win. And it was deja vu. It was 1-1. Then Kamlesh demolished me 21-9. Again, I fought back and the last two games went my way,” he smiles at the memory.

These two remain the only individual table tennis golds won by Pakistan at the SAF Games.

Arif also figured in Pakistan’s only other table tennis gold in these regional games. “At the same 1989 edition, partnering Nazo Shakoor in the mixed doubles, we defeated an Indian pair in the final.” Both players were awarded the Pride of Performance in 1990 — the only two table tennis players to date to have received the honour. “Remember, I only appeared in two SAF Games,” he adds.

Arif was a part of the golden era of Pakistan’s table tennis. In those days at the World Table Tennis Championships, the top 16 ranked nations competed in category 1. The nations at 17 to 32 competed in category II. The two teams finishing at the bottom in a category were relegated, to be replaced by the top two of the lower category.

Arif says he first appeared in the team competition of the World Table Tennis Championship in 1979. Pakistan finished 4th in category III, and 36th overall. “At the next biennial World Championship in 1981, we were second in category III and thus gained promotion. I was a member of the teams in the next five World Championships and Pakistan remained in category II with the highest finish of 26th.”

Pakistan also remained in the top eight in the Asian ranking from 1984 to 1990, with the highest ranking of 6 (in 1984 and 1990). Arif also got Pakistan a bronze in the Commonwealth Championship in 1983, which is the country’s only medal in this competition.

“Here, I must appreciate the contribution of my teammates. Several contributed. Arif Nakhuda and Farjad Saif stand out among them,” he says.

Next, it was coaching for Arif. “Table tennis is my life. Once my competitive days were over, I turned to coaching, beginning with our family’s Islamia Club, where I trained Karachi’s best talent. Soon, I was called to mentor the national teams, and have been the coach of the Pakistan teams at the World and Asian Championships and the SAF Games,” he informs.

As a coach also, Arif’s profile is unmatched in Pakistan. “I have been working with the ITTF [International Table Tennis Federation] as a course conductor/coach since 2004. So far, I have been to 17 countries to conduct the ITTF Level 1 coaching course to educate coaches, and I have also coached their players. Moreover, I have trained the national teams [men and women] of Bangladesh, Kenya, New Caledonia and Seychelles.

“In 2016, I was in Nepal. The country’s prime minister, a keen table tennis player, wanted to see me. When I met him at their PM House, he desired to play table tennis with me. The next morning, we had a friendly game at the PM House,” he beams.

Arif is also one of the four members of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Association’s Coaches Committee, along with being Co-Chairperson of the Asian Table Tennis Union’s Coaches & Junior Committee. He also headed the jury at the last Asian Table Tennis Championship (2022).

His journey in table tennis should serve as an inspiration to the upcoming paddlers of his country.

The writer is a freelance sports journalist based in Lahore. He can be reached on X @IjazChaudhry1
or email: ijaz62@hotmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, January 28th, 2024