The opening edition of the Squash World World Championship began on Sunday with six Pakistani players who sought to surprise the local crowd at the Karachi’s Creek Club.
The recently introduced championships from April 6 to 10 have a 32 -playing male individual championship raffle and a female individual championship raffle with 22 players. The winner receives an automatic qualification through the PSA World Championship, as well as the participation of the lion in a $ 60,000 prize, according to World Squash.
Mariam Malik was the first Pakistani player in Action this morning. The 21-year-old was beaten by Noa Romero Blazquez of Spain 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 in the opening match.
The following for Pakistan was Noor Zaman. The second seed assaulted the victory against the Kuwait Hussain Alzaatari with 6-11, 11-5, 4-11, 3-11.
The former Squash Junior World Champion Hamza Khan came to victory in three consecutive sets over Radu Stefan Penalty of Romania 3-11, 1-11, 5-11.
Khan made history in 2023 when he won the Junior World Squash 2023 championship on Sunday after beating the Mohamed Zakaria in Egypt, becoming the first champion of the country since 1986.
Muhammad Ammad of Pakistan lost to Ameeshenraj Chandaran de Malaysia in a closed five-set match, with Chandaran winning the final set 11-8.
Sana Bahadar faced Tamara Holzbauerva de Checia and was defeated by Holzbauerva 13-11, 11-6, 8-11 and 11-8.
A total of 22 games on five courts in Creek Club are scheduled to place today.
The vice president of the Squash Federation of Pakistan (PSF) and the president of Sindh Squash, Adnan Asad, did not hide the goal of his and his colleagues to return Pakistan to the game’s summit.
“My vision is to create some Jahangir Khans in the next five years,” Asad told World Squash earlier this week.
He adds that organizing the championships is part of a two -pointed strategy that will make Pakistan organize more high profile events in the future to provide local players more opportunities to compete with the best talents in the world, together with an increase in PSF and private investment in facilities, equipment and base programs.
“We have very high hopes,” admits Asad. “When organizing this championship, I hope that a large number of Pakistani players get serious and work hard over the next few years and, hopefully, recover Pakistan as a world whistling.
While talking with the world government body last month, Zaman told World Squash that it was a great honor to represent Pakistan.
“There is an incredible feeling of pride and responsibility when you enter the court in front of your own people. The energy and support of the crowd are electric and pushes you to act at your best.
“It is an opportunity to show the world the talent we have in Pakistan and inspire the next generation of Squash players,” he said.
