ISLAMABAD: Pakistan secured fifth place at the World Junior Squash Team Championships in Cairo, Egypt, defeating South Korea 2-1 in a tightly contested final placement match on Friday.

The Pakistan Squash Federation reported that Abdullah Nawaz initially put Pakistan at a disadvantage, losing his opening match to Joo Young Na 12-10, 4-11, 3-11, 3-11.

Anas Ali Shah then levelled the tie for Pakistan with a determined five-game victory over Jeong Uk Ryu 11-6, 7-11, 11-3, 5-11, 11-3.

The outcome rested on the decisive match, where Mohammad Umair Arif displayed composure under pressure and defeated Jonghyeok Lee 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8.

Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan advanced to the quarter-finals but were eliminated following a 2-0 defeat to England.

Published in Dawn, Aug 2nd, 2025