Daily Times

KARACHI: The domestic squash scene returns to the metropolis after a considerable layoff when the Sindh Squash Association (SSA) plays host to the $15,000 Jubilee General Insurance Pakistan Squash Circuit III Tournament for men and women at the PN Roshan Khan-Jahangir Khan Squash Complex from July 6-11. The first similar competition was held at Islamabad while the second has recently concluded at Lahore. The event is registered with the Professional Squash Association (PSA) as ‘Satellite Closed’ event for Pakistan nationals only and approved by the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF). The details of the event were disclosed by SSA secretary general Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday. Outlining salient features, the SSA secretary said the two-day qualifying rounds that would commence from July 6 will help top four players in the two categories to cruise into the main round. The main round of men’s and women’s will have a draw of 16 each. According to him, $10,000 has been allocated for men’s events while $5000 has been set aside for the women’s events. The men’s winner will get $1805 while the women’s champion will earn $902.50. According to draws, Asim Khan has been top seeded in men’s competition followed by Farhan Zaman, Ahsan Ayaz and Tayyab Aslam. Faiza Zafar, who clinched the circuit I at Islamabad, heads the ranking in the women’s competition. She is followed by sibling and winner of circuit II Madina Zafar. Anam Mustafa Aziz and Zahab Kamal Khan have been seeded third and fourth respectively. Rashid Ahmed said the SSA was likely to host $50,000 Pakistan Open, Roshan Khan Trophy, DHA Cup and the PSA approved DG Rangers competitions in the second half of the year.

Asked about the academy that was being run by the SSA under the patronage of squash legend Jahangir Khan at the PSB Coaching Centre, he identified two players Naveed Rehman and Zainab Khan who had attained No 3 and No 1 rankings in boys U-17 and girls U-15 respectively. He said there was no dearth of talent in the country in general and city in particular and asked the youth to follow the footsteps of Jahangir and Jansher to achieve the desired results.

Published in Daily Times, July 4^th 2018.