KARACHI:
Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) will be sending three junior players – Danish Atlas Khan, Farhan Zaman and Nasir Iqbal – to the US in August for the trio to gain experience while taking part in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tour matches.
The decision was taken in PSF’s executive meeting and follows Jahangir Khan’s move when he, accompanied by PSF’s Senior Vice-President Razi Nawab, went to the US in order to arrange funds for the plan. The federation has planned on sending youth because it is not happy with dedication of the seniors including Farhan Mehboob and Aamir Atlas.
“The new players have the hunger and the ability to burst into the top-10,” a senior PSF official told The Express Tribune. “Mehboob and Atlas don’t want to train sincerely and don’t have the fitness to top the rankings even in Asia. They should realise this before it’s too late.”
The official revealed that the PSF will bear initial expenses for the trip but once the players get settled, they will have to manage everything on their own.
Meanwhile, Mehboob, who led Pakistan to the Asian Team Title, has lashed out at the federation’s decision to snub him for the US trip.
“The Asian triumph was a spring-board for me to get back into top gear but by overlooking us, the PSF has made a wrong move,” said Mehboob who beat top-seed and world number 24 Saurav Ghosal 3-2 in the title-decider against India. Mehboob added that the PSF Secretary Abdul Wahab Marwat openly criticised him before the event stating that he was finished but was lauding his performance after the title.
“The PSF can ban me if it wants but I won’t remain quiet after this injustice because I deserve to get the nod for the US more than anyone else.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2012.
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