Aamir was not included in the squad because he sustained a back injury recently in Kuwait, which will take some time to heal, said PSF Secretary. PHOTO: AFP
Asian squash champion Aamir Atlas failed to make the cut in the four-member team that will represent Pakistan in the Asian Team Championship due to injury.
The players who will be at the mega event – starting June 11 in Hong Kong – include Pakistan’s top-seeded player Nasir Iqbal, Farhan Zaman, Farhan Mehboob and Danish Atlas.
Both Iqbal and Zaman have been playing in the professional circuit regularly alongside Danish, whereas Mehboob has been unable to do the same, resulting in a decline in his ranking.
Pakistan will go into the event as reigning champions after they had lifted the title under the captaincy of Mehboob, beating India in the 2012 final.
“We’ve got a good squad as all the players have the relevant experience to retain the title,” a Pakistan Squash Federation official told The Express Tribune.
“We were too dependent on Mehboob previously, but now Iqbal and Zaman have improved their game and both are more experienced now.”
Aamir missed out due to injury: PSF secretary
PSF Secretary Amir Nawaz said that Aamir was not included in the squad because he sustained a back injury recently in Kuwait, which will take some time to heal.
According to Nawaz, medical experts felt that the Asian champion must be given some time to retain full fitness.
“Aamir told us that he will not be able to participate in the training camp, neither will he make it to the Asian Team Championship because of back injury,” said Nawaz. “It’s definitely a blow, but I believe that the team will do well at the tournament as the players have worked hard.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2014.
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