Pakistani Squash Duo Advances in Asian Doubles Championship

MALAYSIA: The dynamic Pakistani squash team, comprised of Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal, sustained their strong showing at the Asian doubles squash championship. They triumphed over their opponents from the Philippines, moving closer to the quarterfinals in Kuching on Monday.

The Pakistani athletes showcased skill, securing a convincing victory against the Philippines with scores of 11-7 and 11-4.

This victory enhances their prospects for advancing to the knockout phase of the prestigious competition.

Earlier in the day, Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal commenced their campaign successfully by defeating South Korea in their initial match, clinching that match comfortably with scores of 11-4 and 11-1.

Pakistan is scheduled to compete against Chinese Taipei in their final group match on Tuesday, which will be crucial in determining their placement for the subsequent stage of the tournament.

According to the tournament’s format, the first two days are dedicated to pool matches, after which the event will progress to the knockout rounds in the men’s, women’s and mixed doubles categories.

The top two teams from each pool will proceed to the knockout stage, which is slated to begin on June 25, with all three finals taking place the following day.

The Pakistani team is positioned in Group B of the doubles championship, alongside teams representing the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. The leading two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout quarterfinals.

Fahim Gul is coaching the team, while Amir Nawaz is fulfilling the duties of the contingent’s manager.

Noor Zaman previously participated in the Asian Individual Squash Championship but was narrowly defeated in his pre-quarterfinal match.

Zaman, the current World Under-23 champion, was eliminated in a thrilling five-game match against Malaysia’s Joachim Chuah.

Despite dealing with a back spasm, Zaman lost the initial two games 3-11, 3-11. He displayed resilience by winning the third game 11-3 and narrowly taking the fourth 12-10, pushing the match to a deciding game.

However, Chuah regained momentum in the final game, dominating with an 11-2 score to secure the match and conclude Zaman’s participation.