National squash players always complain of lack of participation in international events and present this as an excuse for their inability to win titles. But their performance analysis shows that they don’t win events in a row and wait even for years for their next titles, which means they lack confidence not the number of events available to them or international exposure they get.

Aamir Atlas Khan stood number one for many years and won nine PSA events in his career. His first title was CAS International in 2007 and his next title was COAS International Squash Championship in 2008. It was a good year for him as he won, not in a stretch though, two more events namely CAS International Squash Championship and Pakistan Open Squash Championships.

Then he had to wait for two years to clinch the title of CAA Pakistan International Squash Circuit-II in 2010 and then Pakistan Circuit No. IV in December 2011. In 2012, he won COAS International and CAS International and then his last title was 5th Kish Persian Gulf Cup in 2013.

Farhan Mehboob was one of the best players after Amir and he won five titles in his career. His first titles were President PSF International Squash Championship and CNS International in 2008 and then he waited for two years to win Jena Real Estate Squash Champs in 2010.

He won the CAS International in 2011 and then again had to wait for two more years to win CNS International Pakistan Circuit-IV in 2013. After three years in 2016, he won two major titles — $15,000 FMC International Squash Championship and the $25,000 CAS International Squash.

In 2017, he clinched another big title by winning the $25,000 President Gold Cup and then two $10,000 events (PSF Circuit I and II) in 2018 and then his last title was a $5000 (PSF Squash Circuit I) in 2022.

Nasir Iqbal is a young promising player who has won nine titles so far. His first title was Pakistan International Squash Circuit No.1 in 2011 and then he clinched the title of Royal Lake Club Open and Pakistan International Circuit-IV in 2012.

Next year in 2013, he won DHA Karachi International Squash Championship and POF Pakistan Circuit-II in June. Then he had to wait for his next titles which were Emerson Racquet Club Pro Series and FMC Pakistan International Circuit-I in 2014. He was able to win two events in a row in 2015 — CNS International Squash Championship and FMC International Pakistan.

But he faced a four-year suspension over doping issues and he returned to the professional circuit in 2020 with winning eight satellite events in a row. After that, he won two $10,000 events namely BISL 4 and PSF Squash Championship in 2021.

The next year, he clinched the title of PSF International Championship ($10,000) and then he had to wait for 2024 when he won three low-prized events in Australia — Shepparton Open, Bendigo International, and Tasmanian Open.

Farhan Zaman is another promising player and he has won four titles in his career so far. His first title was Milad Open in 2011 and then CAS International Squash Championship and the Chicago Open in 2013. He had to wait for two years to win Any Presence Open in 2015 and then Roshan Khan Open ($15,000) in 2016, which was his last title.

Danish Atlas Khan started his career on a shining note when he won three titles in a row in 2011 — 3rd Kish Persian Gulf Cup, Fajr Open, and Norooz International. Then he lost the momentum and waited for one year to win Al Khaliji PSA Squash Challenger in 2012 and then First Insurance Squash Open in 2013 and Kish Persian Gulf Cup in 2014. His last title was Pakistan International Squash Circuit-II he won in August 2014.

Asim Khan, currently number one player, won his first event in 2017 which was $10,000 I.R.Iran Navy Squash Open and then next year in 2018 he clinched two $5000 events (Malaysian Tour I and II). In 2019, he won another $10,000 event — Pakistan Squash Circuit I — and then he won Punjab International Open ($10,000) in 2021.

In 2022, he won DHA Islamabad Open ($10,000) and QSF 2 ($5000) and then he had to wait for two years. This year he won three low-prized events — Squash on Fire Open, Squash Inspire Challenger, and Creek Open.

Noor Zaman, the country’s second best player in recent years, started his professional career in 2019 and after winning a few low ranked satellite events he clinched his first major title last year when he won the CAS International Squash ($12000).

Ashab Irfan is a promising youngster who started his professional tour in 2021 and after winning a few low ranked satellite events he clinched two $9000 events this year — Rochester ProAm and Kanso Open.

Tayyab Aslam, once number one player of the country, started his professional circuit in 2011 but was not able to win any title till 2014 when he clinched the title of the $5000 Amman Squash Open and then he had to wait for three years to win another title in 2017 — Kish Open ($5000).

In 2018, he won another $5000 event (Malaysian Squash Tour) and then Pakistan Squash Circuit III ($10,000) and the $20,000 Faletti’s Hotel International, which was his first major title.

He clinched the $10,000 FMC International Championship, the $10,000 DG Rangers Championship, and the $20,000 Pakistan International Squash Tournament in 2019. He clinched two $10,000 events (Pakistan International and BISL International) in 2020.

His last title was CM Punjab International Open ($10,000) in 2021.

Ahsan Ayaz, a talented player, has won only one event so far which was Malaysia Tour IV ($5000) in 2016. Ammad Fareed has also won only one event in his career so far and that was Squash NSW Open Championships ($5000) in 2017.

It is to be noted that Pakistan was not allowed to host high-prize events before 2014 due to security concerns and the $25,000 CAS International Squash Championship was the first event since 2011 that was allotted to Pakistan by PSA with foreign participation.

Yet, the performance of the country’s squash players has been in inverse proportion to the quality of international high-prize tournaments held in the country since 2014 as only five high-prize events were won by Pakistani players out of 21 held in the country since 2014 when Farhan Mehboob won two such events, Tayyab Aslam two, and Nasir Iqbal one.

Tayyab Aslam won the $20,000 Huawei International in 2019 and the $20,000 Faletti’s Hotel International in 2018. Farhan Mehboob won the $25,000 President Gold Cup in 2017 and the $25,000 CAS International in 2016. Nasir Iqbal won the $25,000 President Gold Cup in 2015.

The situation has become worse over the years and today it is very alarming as Pakistan’s squash players participated in 39 international PSA events in the year 2023 and only one was won by Noor Zaman.

They featured in three PSA-3, six PSA-5, seven PSA-6, three PSA-9, seven PSA-10, four PSA-12, three PSA-15, two PSA-20, one PSA-30, and three PSA Bronze. But Noor Zaman won the only high prize event Pakistan hosted in the said year which was the $12000 CAS International in Islamabad in December.

Though Asim Khan was the only player from Pakistan who featured in top events during the year 2023 including World Championship Qualifier, three PSA Bronze, and one PSA-30, he lost in the initial rounds in all those big events.

Interestingly, Pakistan Squash Federation in 2015 warned the country’s top players that they must win PSA-25 events otherwise the federation would not invest in those players. This warning worked and Nasir won a PSA-25 event in 2015 and then Farhan clinched two such events in 2016 and 2017.

PSF issued the said warning in the light of 7-year draught of PSA-25 events as Mansoor Zaman (who was world number 11 in 2003 and had the credit of defeating world number one Thierry Lincou) was the last player to win any high prize event which was the $30,000 Kolkata International in 2008.

However, despite the poor show of Pakistan’s top squash players at international level, they never miss a chance to exercise their powers and try to blackmail the national federation. Some incidents in this regard would show how they do this to achieve their targets.

Back in 2012, the then top player of the country refused to go to US for PSF-sponsored training at a private academy when the federation did not let his younger brother accompany him. In 2015, Farhan Mehboob and Danish Atlas Khan missed the PSA Men’s World Championship (scheduled in the US) when Pakistan Squash Federation did not increase their travelling allowance (400 dollars).

They demanded $1000 for each of them since they didn’t have accommodation there in the US but PSF finally offered $600 so they both skipped the world championship. PSF’s then secretary Amir Nawaz told me that the federation had to incur a loss of Rs40,000 on tickets for their no-show.

Last year, this players’ power cost dearly to Pakistan as the country recorded its worst ever performance at 21st Asian Team Championships in Korea. After losing to India and Kuwait, Pakistan also lost to Qatar in group matches.

A source at PSF claimed that the players lost “deliberately” although they were prepared to reach at least the semifinals.

This year, Pakistan’s junior players blamed Pakistan Squash Federation for their poor performance at British Junior Open (no players reached beyond quarterfinals) because they were given insufficient daily allowances, making them stay hungry for hours before the important matches.

One of the players said they did not get proper food during the whole championship as the allowance of $500 was not enough for them while PSF provided the same allowance to the national coach as well, who was accompanying the team, which was against the rules.

This analysis is enough to show the substandard level of our squash players and how poorly they are prepared for the international circuit by Pakistan Squash Federation. The onus is both on the players and the PSF for this dismal situation, and it seems there is no light at the end of the tunnel.