ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: Six junior squash players will compete in the upcoming British Junior Squash Championship scheduled to be held in Sheffield, England in the first week of January .

An official of the Pakistan Squash Federation told Dawn on Monday that Pakistani junior players would participate in the U-15, U-17 and U-19 events. Syed Ali Bokahri and Bilal Zakir will compete in the U-15 event while Danish Atlas and Nasir Iqbal will be seen in action in the U-17 category.

Shoaib Hasan and Waqar Mehboob will participate in the U-19 category. Maria Toor will vie in the U-19 girl’s event. The official added that all the players were selected after they won their respective category trial matches. “Maria was selected on her current performance and fitness,” he said.

The official further disclosed that that Faheem Gul and PSF Secretary Wing Commander Shams ul Haq would also accompany the team as coach and manager respectively in a international junior event.

Meanwhile, Mehboob Khan, Waqar Mehboob’s coach is still waiting for a reply from PSF to accompany the team.

National coach Faheem Gul, when contacted to comment about the fitness level of the junior squad, said: “The team is fully fit and we have high hopes from the U-15 and U-17 players as they have the potential to give good results.”

He pointed out that the U-19 players are likely to face tough fight from their opponents as world junior champion El Shorbagy from Egypt is also participating in the same category.

The junior squad will leave on Tuesday from Islamabad.