Rare triumph

Aamir's win is reminder that sports is alive in Pakistan despite being barred from hosting international events.

Pakistan’s Aamir Atlas Khan ended a 15-year wait for the country as he triumphed at the 17^th Asian Individual Squash Championship on May 5, beating Kuwait’s world number 33 Abdullah Al-Muzayen 3-0 in the final held in Islamabad. The last time Pakistan won the individual event was in 1998 when Zarak Jahan Khan won the coveted title. However, Aamir, who ranked 61 before his victory, was able to add to the list of squash trophies owned by the country that now features its ninth Asian individual title.

Aamir, who was unfit when his compatriots were preparing for the event, was also indebted to the Pakistan Squash Federation since the body delayed finalising the squad by a week to make way for the 22-year-old. The achievement was extra special since the event was hosted by Pakistan, which has seen a drought of international fixtures ever since the 2009 gun attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, which took away the country’s hosting rights for the 2011 cricket World Cup and cornered Pakistan into isolation where no foreign athlete would dare visit. But it seems that some progress has been made.

Pakistan hosted the Asian Snooker Championship recently before the squash event took centre stage. Aamir’s triumph has also sent out a gentle reminder to the world that sports is still very much alive in the country despite it being barred from hosting high-profile international events.

The win also spells a good omen for the country’s squash players, giving them a timely boost before they gear up for the upcoming British Open and the World Squash Federation Men’s World Team Championship next month. For Aamir, it may be a taste of things to come as he looks to improve his world ranking. His development as a player is hardly a surprise as Pakistan has a rich history of squash legends. It would hardly be a wonder if the Peshawar-born player is another one in the making.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2013.