PESHAWAR: Zeeshan Gul and Laiba Ijaz clinched the title of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Junior Age Group Squash Championship played here at PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex on Sunday.
Lt. Gen (Retd) Mohammed Hamid Khan, Chairman PRCS KP Branch, was the chief guest on this occasion. Former World Champion Qamar Zaman, Vice Chairperson PRCS KP Ms. Azra Jamshed, Secretary PRCS Syed Ali Hasan, Nazim Nawah Khali Sajjad Khalil, Leader Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Hidayat Ullah Khan, Executive Member Wazir Khan, Flt. Lt. Inam Khan, Chief Referee Munawar Zaman, officials, players and large number of spectators witnessed the thrilling final.
In the first final Laiba Ijaz outclassed Hira Aqeel in straight sets in the Girls Under-15 category, the score was 11-8, 11-9 and 11-7. In the Under-17 Boys category International squash player Zeeshan Gul defeated Haris Iqbal by 3-1, the score was 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 and 11-9. Zeeshan Gul played well and despite losing the first set, staged a strong comeback by winning three consecutive sets.
In the Under 15 category Uzair Shoukat, who recently got international title, beat Ahmad Hassan by 3-1, the score was 11-8, 6-11, 11-9 and 11-9. Uzair and Ahmad Hassan gave each other a tough fight.
In the U-13 category international Asad Ullah beat Noor Zaman by 3-1, the score was 4-11, 11-8, 11-9, 13-11 and in the Under-11 category top seed Ammad beat M. Hamza by 3-1, the score was 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 and 11-9. Both Ammad and Hamza played well and some excellent shorts were also witnessed.
A total of 121 players including 21 girls took part in the Championship organized by KP Squash Association with the support of PRC wherein players compete in U-11, U-13, U-15 and U-15 Boys and U-15 Girls.
At the end, the chief Lt. Gen (Retd) Muhammed Hamid Khan gave away trophies to the players. Speaking on this occasion, he lauded KP Squash Association for holding and promoting squash at grassroots level. He, on this occasion, named former World Champion, Qamar Zaman as Ambassador of the Youth on behalf of PRCS KP. He also announced the Championship will be an annual feature of PRCS KP calendar.
He said Pakistani players produced matchless record in the world of squash but from the last two decades Pakistani players are struggling and are nowhere in the top world ranking despite lot of efforts being put in by Pakistan Squash Federation. “Without promotion of squash at grassroots level, we cannot achieve our lost glory and such tournaments are vital for the promoting upcoming youngsters,” Lt Gen (Rtd) Hamid Khan added.
Earlier, Qamar Zaman thanked Lt. Gen (retd) Muhammad Hamid Khan for nominating him as Youth Ambassador of PRCS and extending all out support in holding the event wherein players from all across KP took part.
