KARACHI, March 4: Pakistan number one Shahid Zaman has dropped to No. 18 in this month’s men’s international squash rankings issued by Professional Squash Association. Shahid was previously placed at No. 17 in the rankings. His cousin Mansoor Zaman remains at No. 26 in the March list.

Canada’s Jonathon Power returns to number one in the new March rankings. He brings about the fourth change at the top of the rankings in as many months for the first time since the rankings were introduced three decades ago.

Power, who first became World No1 in May 1999, reclaimed the top spot in January, ending the year-long ‘reign’ of Frenchman Thierry Lincou. However, it was David Palmer who headed the list in February, but the Australian was unable to stop the 31-year-old from Montreal regaining the position this month.

Boosted by final appearances in both the Canadian Classic and Windy City Open in January, Power is now celebrating his 14th month as world number one - equalling the total achieved to date by Thierry Lincou.

While Palmer slips to two, and Egypt’s World Open champion Amr Shabana holds onto third position, Lincou rises to No4 after winning last week’s ISS Canary Wharf Classic in London, the 15th PSA Tour title of the 29-year-old’s career.

James Willstrop rises to No5, retaining his status as the top-ranked Englishman in the list, ahead of Australian Anthony Ricketts at six, and England’s Peter Nicol at seven. A punishing schedule in the first two months of the year has ended a three-month exile out of the top twenty for England’s Adrian Grant, who jumps five places to No16. The 25-year-old London-born left-hander celebrated his 15th PSA final appearance in January’s Virginia Pro Championship in the USA.

Lower in the world list, Canada’s Shahier Razik celebrates a career-high No23 ranking after winning the Manitoba Open last month.—PPI