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Pakistan sets new record as Affan Salman wins World Youth Scrabble Champion

16-year-old scrabble prodigy wins 19 out of 23 games in tournament participated by 138 players from different countries

By Atique Ur Rehman
September 08, 2024
World Youth Scrabble Champion Affan Salman in this undated photo. — Author
World Youth Scrabble Champion Affan Salman in this undated photo. — Author

Pakistan's Affan Salman has become the World Youth Scrabble Champion organised in Sri Lanka and led the country to set a new record for winning the title for the fifth time.

The 16-year-old won 19 out of 23 games during the championship.

Pakistan is the first country to win the WYSC this many times. A total of 138 players from around the world participated in the championship.

Affan Salman proudly celebrates his victory while holding up the Pakistani flag. — Author
Affan Salman proudly celebrates his victory while holding up the Pakistani flag. — Author

The first World Youth Scrabble Championships were held in Wollongong, Australia 2006. Competitors from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, England, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates and United States have competed in the annual tournament so far.

WYSC is open to anyone under the age of 18 on January 1 of the year of each tournament. So far the WYSC tournament has been held in Malaysia five times, Australia twice, Dubai twice and the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom once each.