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LAHORE: Pakistan’s junior squash team coach Muhammad Saleem has hailed his side’s performance at the recently concluded Asian Junior Championship held in Jordan. Pakistan won the U-19 title in the event after a gap of five years.
“It is a good omen that Danish Atlas won the U-19 title, last won by his brother Aamir five years ago. The participation of four players in the semi-finals of the championship have furthered claims that Pakistan Squash Federation is endeavouring for the revival of the game at the grass roots level,” Saleem told APP after his arrival from Jordan.
Saleem, a former international squash player from Punjab, termed the participation of four boys and one girl very beneficial to Pakistan’s game at the junior level.
He hailed Danish’s brilliant show in the final of the U-19 event where he defeated Indian Ramit Tandon 3-1.
Danish and Nasir Iqbal played in U-19 category while Tayyab Aslam and Ali Bokhari featured in U-17 and Zoya Khalid participated in U-19 girl’s competition.
According to Saleem, Pakistan could also have won a medal in U-17 event had it not been for the burnout in the semi-final.
“Tayyab and Ali played the semi final of the U-17 event and Tayyab won the match after a long fight of 3-2 but could not keep up the same intensity in the final where he lost out to Jordanian Ahmed Siraj 3-1,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zoya lost in the second round to a super fit South Korean player.
“Overall, it was a very good performance on part of our players,” he said adding “our female players lack experience but with ample training they will be able to produce desired results in the future.”
He said that of the five players who participated in the championship, three were from Punjab which speaks volumes of efforts being made by the Punjab Squash Association for the revival of the game under President Malik Amjad Ali Noon.
“The way PSA is focusing on the grooming of junior players under a long term plan with modern coaching standards is commendable and Punjab will soon re emerge as the new squash force in the country,” he remarked.
