ISLAMABAD: Former world champion Jansher Khan has decided to train young squash players associated with directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a statement issued by Jansher Khan from Peshawar, he took the said decision on request of Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan.

“It has been decided that Jansher Khan will take steps to revive squash and nurture squash talent in KP on a daily basis. I will play games with the children of the academy and will give them basic training,” the statement said.

He said the government has fulfilled his desire to train the children of the province by providing a coaching opportunity, adding that he would do his best to fill the gap created in the game of squash and will help the country to have a new world champion.

The statement said that during a media briefing at the Peshawar Sports Complex with Director General Sports Asfandyar Khan and Director Operations Syed Saqleen Shah, Jansher said that the facilities available to athletes in KP were unmatched in the country.

“Due to lack of good training and coaching, the best talent of the province is being wasted,” the former world champion said, adding that he has played squash for 25 years and could still play.

Welcoming Jansher on the occasion, DG Sports KP Asfandyar Khan said the coaching of the former world champion was a matter of honour for the players of the province.

He said that the provincial government was taking various steps for the promotion of squash, various programmes were underway in search of new talent, adding that eight new courts were in the final stages of completion under the Revival of Squash project.

In response to a question, he said that nine squash courts, gym, swimming pool and hostel would be constructed on the land of Railways and currently discussion was underway with Peshawar Railway authorities for land lease.

The DG also said that the government had decided to bring back International Cricket to Peshawar. He said that government would do its best to prepare Hayatabad ground before next edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) while the final decision of PSL matches would be taken after the clearance of the ICC.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2020