ISLAMABAD - Three-member Pakistan junior squash team left for Kish, Iran to participate in the 21st Asian Junior Individual Squash Championship 2014 starting from today 22 to 26th at Kish Island, Iran.
Pakistan team included Tayyab Aslam, Asim Khan and Israr Ahmed in U-19 category while Doroshan Khan will play in U-15 category. Punjab Squash Association coach Gogi Alauddin is accompanying team as coach. Talking with The Nation Saturday Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) secretary Group Captain Amir Nawaz said: “I am quite confident my players have the ability to defend the title, which was last year won by Syed Ali Mujtaba Bokhari. This year Ali has decided not to defend his title and instead is focused on helping Pakistan junior team to land World Junior Team Squash Championship starting in August in Namibia.”
Amir said keeping in mind tough financial situation of the federation, the PSF had decided to send three-member team instead of 4 as Suleman Ahshmi was dropped. All these players had trained very hard under the command of Gogi and head coach Jamshed Gul during trials and team selection and the federation had pinned great hopes on Tayyab to win the title for Pakistan, he added. He said the PSF was investing heavily on both male and female players and the efforts had already paying great dividend as Pakistan managed to retain Asian Senior Team Championship.
He said  the second phase of training camp will start in Ramazan and would continue till August before the departure of junior team for World Junior Team Championship and then $10,000 event would be held either in Islamabad or Lahore as negotiations were underway and venue would be finalised soon. He said that it was quite disappointing that no one from the government even bothered to say few words of appreciation for the Asian Squash title winners. He said PSF president Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, despite very limited resources, gave cash prizes to team and coach. He said IPC Minister Mian Riaz Pirzada should at least appreciate the efforts as this sport has given Pakistan so much name and fame. “We expect Prime Minister will soon invite the winning team and host a reception in their honour,” he added.