Mehboob, Iqbal depart for UK challenge

Pakistan players all set for World Individual Squash Championship.

ISLAMABAD: Farhan Mehboob and Nasir Iqbal, representing the Pakistan team, left with high hopes for the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Individual Squash Championship to be held in Manchester, UK.

Both players will be appearing in the qualifiers starting October 26, with the main round scheduled to begin two days later.

The team also received a boost as coach Jamshed Gul was also sent to the UK at the last moment, while earlier the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) had decided against it.

However, after concerns showed by the players that the non-availability of Gul in crucial matches could prove fatal for them, PSF President Tahir Rafique Butt heeded their unease.

“I’m really confident that I can achieve a good result in the world championship if I can get past the tricky qualifiers,” Mehboob, currently ranked 136, told The Express Tribune.

“I’ve previously held the world number 16 spot so I know what it takes to compete against the best.

“I’m looking to receive a push in my career which has suffered badly in terms of ranking since there has been a lack of PSA tournaments in Pakistan for the past few years.”



Mehboob had practised through an illness in the month-long training camp which was held at the Mushaf Squash Complex for the mega event.

He believed he was ready to take on the challenge and that the hard work would pay off.

“I wish to give my career a boost again. If I can reach the last-16 or the quarter-finals, my standing will improve dramatically because it’s a $325,000 tournament carrying good ranking points.”

Gul’s presence will help us: Nasir

Pakistan’s top-ranked player Nasir was delighted that Gul was allowed to travel with the team.

“It’s a big relief that our coach has been allowed to travel with us because he has been integral and instrumental in my success so far,” said the world number 48.

“The way he helped us prepare for matches against different opponents is commendable both before and during the matches.

“I’ll try to play for the pride of Pakistan and hopefully shock people with my performances.”

Gul himself sounded confident that his charges had the potential to raise their game for such a big tournament.

However, he also believed that luck needed to be on their side in terms of draws.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2013.

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