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Improvement in the world ranking is great, but winning a major international title is a different proposition altogether.
It has been almost 12 years since Pakistan lost its 16-year-old domination in the field of squash. Post the Khan era, we have little to boast of. To regain our lost glory, our players will need to do more than just take pride in their improvement in world ranking. They need to commit themselves to the game professionally, and win impressive titles.
It is on record that the Pakistan Squash Federation has failed to produce a world champion under its Vision 2011, which was launched 15 years ago. This is despite the fact that millions of rupees have been spent on training and coaching of players and they have been provided with all possible facilities for participation in the PSA-approved international events.
But none of them has managed to win international tournaments even on a small scale, let alone prestigious events like the World Open, British Open. Even at the Asian level, we are no longer a force to reckon with ever since Malaysia emerged as the leading squash nation of the region.
According to the February ranking, Aamir Atlas Khan, the 19-year-old son of former international player Atlas Khan, is ranked 15, while Farhan Mahboob is at 21. Seasoned campaigner Mansoor Zaman, the son of former British Open champion Qamar Zaman, is currently ranked at 27. Mansoor's cousin Shahid Zaman, also a seasoned player, is at the 66th position, and Yasir Butt, the 2004 World Junior (Under-19) Championship runner-up, is ranked 48.
Except for Shahid Zaman, all the other players improved their world ranking courtesy the absence of foreign players, who did not compete in last year's four PSA sanctioned tournaments, including the Pakistan Open, due to security concerns. This year too, chances look bleak regarding the participation of world-class players in our international tournaments.
Our players need to understand that improvement in the world ranking is great, but winning a major international title is a different proposition altogether. It is the victory that counts at the end of the day.
The PSF needs to revise its policy of selecting players for international events, based on their performance in international tournaments held in Pakistan, where matches are supervised by local referees. Instead, they should arrange a five-match double league series abroad and pitch our promising youth against players from Egypt, England, France and Malaysia. This way, they will be able to fully asses the potential of our players on foreign soil.
The selection base also needs to broaden, and the PSF should take positive steps so that over a dozen affiliated units are accountable for the promotion and development of squash in their respective jurisdiction.
It will also be feasible if the PSF organises only one tournament this year, that is, the Pakistan Open. Other events such as the Chief of the Army Staff Open, the Chief of the Naval Staff Open and the Chief of Air Staff Open, each carrying a 25,000-dollar price tag, should be postponed until international players resume competing in the PSA-approved events in Pakistan.
We must also focus more on promoting squash by organising a chain of tournaments, as well as holding coaching camps in every part of the country in order to recruit fresh blood.
