She may be ranked 72nd in the world but Maria Toor Pakay is Pakistan’s number one woman squash player.

The girl is already a winner to have reached where she is. Belonging to South Waziristan where even educating girls is frowned upon, let alone allowed to pusue a sport, Maria was lucky to have an understanding family that respected her talent. Her father moved the family to Peshawar in order to provide proper education and sporting facilities to his daughter of which she made full use.

Turning professional in 2006, the 21-year-old was nominated as Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Young Player of the Year in 2007.