Iran, Kuwait popular destinations for players

Pakistan squash stars happy at international exposure.

KARACHI:


Pakistan squash players have now found a lucrative avenue by participating in tournaments held in Iran and Kuwait that gives them an opportunity to improve their international rankings.


With the lack of international sporting activities in Pakistan also having a detrimental impact on squash, countries like Iran and Kuwait are becoming popular destinations for players, with 12 Pakistanis having recently taken part in various events in these countries.

Pakistan’s rising star Danish Atlas had a successful season in Iran as he won the Kish Persian Gulf Cup, the Fajr International and Norooz Squash International and improved his world ranking from 108 to 80. Other players like Farhan Zaman, Mansoor Zaman and Waqar Mehboob also managed to climb one spot each, whereas, new faces like Yasir Butt, Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari and Saqib Yousaf also made appearances in these tournaments.

“It’s very lucrative for us,” Atlas told The Express Tribune, “Now that we don’t have any international tournaments happening in Pakistan, these countries are the best choice for us. The travelling is cheap and we can win the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger Five series where the prize money for each event ranges from $5,000 to $18,000. Plus we get to improve our rankings as well.”


According to Atlas, young players like him cannot afford to participate in tournaments in Europe or the US, which makes Iran an ideal destination for Pakistani players.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan number one Mansoor agreed with Atlas and said the biggest setback to Pakistan squash occurred when the PSA took away all the ranking events from the country that badly affected the players.

“My career went downhill, primarily because I couldn’t participate in tournaments.

“But now that Iran and Kuwait are holding more than five events in each quarter of the year, I see hope since they can play there without any hassle,” said Mansoor.

Farhan echoed the same sentiment and said that playing in these countries provides an opportunity for Pakistani players to improve their game before applying to squash leagues in UK and the US.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2011.
Load Next Story