ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) is pinning its hopes on the national players for producing impressive results in the upcoming World Junior Squash Individual Championship

It is relevant to note here that currently none of the senior Pakistan players are amongst the world’s top 50.

The championship is scheduled to be staged in Kuala Lumpur from July 30 to Aug 4.

The Pakistan squad comprising six players and two officials is featuring in the global event for which the selected players underwent rigorous training during the past few months.

Promising juniors Haris Qasim, Hamza Sharif, Mohammad Farhan Hashmi, Noor Zaman, Mohammad Hamza Khan and Naveed Rehman will represent Pakistan at the championship.

PSF secretary Group Captain Tahir Sultan would accompany the contingent as manager while Asif Khan will act as the coach.

The squad was departing from Lahore for Kuala Lumpur later on Thursday night.

“To extract the best possible results at this event, we arranged comprehensive training for the selected players at the Pakistan National Squash Academy in Islamabad,” the PSF secretary told Dawn on Thursday. “As these players during the last two years have participated in a number of international events, we are hopeful for good results now.”

Tahir said that during the last two years juniors players won dozens of international medals. “So keeping in view their performance of the past couple of years, I am optimistic that they would do well in the World Junior Individual Championship, where top players from across the world will be in action,” he said and added that Egyptians will be the main competitors of the Pakistan players in Kuala Lumpur.

While the 18-year-old Egyptian Mostafa Asal, the world No. 29 in the senior category, being the top seed is also hot favourite in this junior championship to retain the men’s title. While second seed Omar El Torkey, also from Egypt, is also being dubbed as a favourite.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2019