Karachi set to host World Emerging Squash in April

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is all set to stage the World Emerging Individual Squash Championship in April 2025 where men and women players of 16 top countries are expected to compete.

Karachi is to host the mega event from April 8, 2025 in which players within the age bracket of 19 and 23 are to compete for individual titles.

The World Squash Federation (WSF) has allotted Pakistan the hosting rights of the event in a recent Congress meeting where it was decided to revive the Emerging Championship for the benefit of all those who have crossed nineteen years of age but have yet to make their mark at the senior circuit and are less than 23 years.

“The WSF has revived the World Emerging Individual Championship to keep the new entrants into the senior circuit busy and to plug the gap between senior circuit and junior events,” an official told ‘The News’.

The WSF used to organise the event regularly almost 20 years back but stopped staging it for multiple reasons. “The event has been revived after a break of two decades. Now when the championship is back on the calendar, the first such event after a lengthy break has been awarded to Pakistan. Karachi will host the championship from April 8, 2025.”

The top two men and women players from 16 leading ranked countries falling in the age bracket of 19 to 23 years will be seen in action in the event. Men and women’s draws will be of 32 players from 16 countries with the winner to be adjudged as the best Emerging Player (both categories).

Like all other top 16 squash-playing nations, Pakistan will also field two players. Most likely the two will be picked from amongst Noor Zaman, Ashab Irfan and Hamza Khan. If Hamza continues to shy away from the international events, Noor and Ashab will be the most likely picks for the World Emerging Championship.

The interesting part of the championship will be the participation of Indian players. Whether India players drawn to play in the both men’s and women’s categories will compete in the event or will pull out of the Championship. Early indications are that, unlike cricket, India is expected to send players to compete in the championship.