ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Tuesday named four players for this December’s World Junior Championship in Chennai (India) but deferred announcing another two for the individual event.
Khayal Muhammad, Arshad Iqbal Burki, Majid Khan and Safeer Khan form the team that was announced by senior vice president of the PSF, Air Marshal Syed Qaiser Hussain. Saeed Hassan was chosen as a reserve player.
Qaiser said that two more players would be named shortly after approval of the PSF chief, Air Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir.
The selected players took the top four places in the Masters’ League that concluded at the Pakistan Sports Complex Monday. Khayal of Punjab finished as No. 1 in the League by winning 10 matches out of 11 while NWFP’s Arshad, with an identical showing took second spot for having lost more games.
Majid, with nine victories and two defeats, same as Safeer, claimed the third position by virtue of winning more games.
The World Junior Championship was originally scheduled to take place this month but was postponed because of heightened tension between Pakistan and India last July.
The postponement came about when the PSF requested the WSF for a change of venue because of security fears. But now Qaiser said that matters had been sorted out and the world body had assured them that there was nothing to fear. “Our players will be competing in Chennai.”
Qaiser said that the team had been selected purely on merit and as far he was concerned, nothing less than a gold would do. “These boys have won the Scottish and British Opens and I expect them to win the championship.”
He later gave away cash prizes to the first five of the Masters’ League with Khayal collecting Rs 15,000, Arshad taking home Rs 12,500 and Majid getting Rs 10,000. Safeer earned Rs 7,500 while Saeed Hassan pocketed Rs 5,000.
Coach Rehmat Khan, who was asked why there was no Pakistani among the top 10 today, said that the players under his command lacked the temperament of former champions Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan.
“Although I expect my players to do well in Chennai, I would not be satisfied even if they won gold because as a professional coach, I have to aim higher and not be satisfied when my players win a title or two.”
Rehmat will be accompanying the team to Chennai.
JANSHER’S RETURN
A top official of the PSF Tuesday termed former champion Jansher Khan’s return to the court as a “good sign”.
“Although he is aging, anything can happen if he regains match fitness,” senior vice president of the PSF, Air Marshal Syed Qaiser Hussain said of the 33-year-old player who is making his comeback to the sport he once dominated.
“I’ll be happy to see him among the top 10 provided he is match fit but I think he’ll need almost a year to really make his mark.”
Jansher in his first comeback event last month — the CNS International Championship in Karachi — made the quarterfinals. His next assignment is this month’s CAS Championship in Peshawar where he will be competing on a wildcard.
“Initially we had doubts over his fitness and we contacted his doctor Mesaaq Rizvi, who said he would be match fit in six months.” “We respect Jansher for his game and will do whatever we can to help him.”
The PSF is now putting up a formal request with the World Squash Federation (WSF) to include Jansher in the qualifiers of this year’s World Open in Belgium.
Qaiser said that he was hopeful that Jahangir Khan would be elected the president of WSF at its Annual General Meeting due to take place in Malaysia between Oct 24 and 26.
Jahangir, also a former champion, is contesting against Mike Corby of England.
Qaiser sounded confident of his man’s victory and pointed out that they expect to secured about 75 percent votes. “Majority of the Asian and African nations are with us,” he pointed out.