Pakistan loses squash rankings

KARACHI: Pakistan used to dominate the game of squash in the international arena, but is now only a shadow of its past glory as only three of its players are in the top 100 Squash World Rankings for the month of May 2010.

The top squash player of Pakistan Aamir Atlas Khan has slumped two places and now occupies 22nd spot in the world circuit. Aamir Atlas is in India with teammates Farhan Mehboob, Yasir Butt and Waqar Mehboob to participate in Asian Squash Championship starting 1^st May in Chennai.

Aamir's cousin Farhan Mehboob fell nine places and he now sits at No45, while Lahore based Yasir Butt maintained his rankings at No 59.

Meanwhile, Egypt's Ramy Ashour moves into his fifth month at the top of the Dunlop. The 22-year-old from Cairo, the youngest player in the world top ten, leads an unchanged top six - ahead of England's Nick Matthew at two; compatriots Amr Shabana and Karim Darwish at three and four, respectively; Englishman James Willstrop at No5; and Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in sixth place. Londoner Peter Barker is the highest upward mover, leapfrogging France's Thierry Lincou to take over seventh place.

After becoming the first player in PSA history to win his maiden World Tour title at a 5-star event, Egyptian teenager Mohamed El Shorbagy celebrates a three-place rise to his highest ranking of 14. The 19-year-old from Alexandria - the youngest player in the top 50 - clinched the Indian Challenger No7 in Chennai last month.

Another Egyptian has cause for celebration in the new list: Omar Mosaad makes his debut in the top 20, at 20, after an exceptional 2010 campaign in which he has competed in three Tour events, and finished as runner-up in one (the Heliopolis Open last month in his home town Cairo) and claimed the trophies in the other two, the Racquet Club Invitational and KIG Open, both in the USA, in January.