September 4, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 6, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: Pakistan on Wednesday named a four-man squad for the Oct 19 to 25 World Team Squash Championship in Vienna, Austria.

Top ranked Mansoor Zaman, Farrukh Zaman, Majid Khan and Khayal Muhammad make the team that was announced by Air Marshal Raashid Kalim, the senior vice president of the Pakistan Squash Federation.

“This is the best available team that has been selected purely on merit and I hope the boys would put in their best in the championship,” Raashid said.

Farrukh, Majid and Khayal were chosen after a series of trials and tests that began in June this year. Top ranked Mansoor had been exempted from the initial trials as was Shahid Zaman, the Pakistan No 2, but he was dropped later because of a lack of form.

“Shahid was not fully fit and besides his performance in the recent CAS Championship in Peshawar was not good,” Raashid pointed out. Shahid was eliminated in the first round of that competition.

Pakistan, who have won the World Team Championship six times finished 11th in the last edition and are now quietly hoping to do well this year.

Rehmat Khan, who would be accompanying the squad as coach said that he was confident his players would do well in the championship.

Others proceeding with the party will be Karamatullah Chaudhry (manager), Lt. Gen Zarrar Azeem (official) and Raashid himself.

The PSF official is to attend the Annual General Meeting of the World Squash Federation (WSF).

Meanwhile in choosing the players for the championship, the PSF followed a comprehensive selection plan that began with the initial trials in June in which 12 players took part. Mansoor and Shahid were both given exemption.

This was followed by a training camp in Islamabad that was attended by Mansoor, Shahid, Farrukh, Majid, Khayal, Zubair Ali Khan, Arshad Iqbal Burki and Ejaz Azmat. Ejaz however left after receiving a coaching offer from Kuwait.

The PSF then organised two leagues with Mansoor winning the first that was held between August 5-8 in Peshawar.

The second league, also declared as final trials ran from Aug 28 to Sept 2 in Islamabad. Mansoor did not have to take part because of his fine performance in the first league and the CAS International Championship.

Farrukh took top place in the league and was followed by Majid, Khayal and Arshad.

The Pakistan contingent is likely to leave for Austria on Octr 16.

JR SQUASH FROM TODAY: The Hashim Khan National Junior Squash Championship is set to start at the Pakistan Sports Complex on Thursday.

Officials said that entries of about 250 boys and girls have been received for the different age categories. The tournament carries a prize purse of Rs 300,000.

An age scrutiny committee headed by Mansur Khan, vice president of Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has been formed which will meet on Thursday morning.

Other members of the committee are Wing Commander M. Sajid Waheed, Lt. Col (Retd) M. Rafique Shahid, Dr. K.M. Bangash, Wing Commander Pervaiz Saeed Mir, Dr. A. Aziz Khan Niazi and Dr. A. Waheed Mughal.