Pakistan’s young squash prodigies Noor Zaman and Hamza Khan continued their dominant run at the Under-23 World Squash Championship, securing their places in the quarter-finals with straight-set victories on Monday at the DHA Creek Club.
Noor, the tournament’s second seed, was ruthless against Poland’s Jakob Pytlowany, cruising to an 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 win. Meanwhile, Hamza Khan showcased equal brilliance by dismantling Britain’s Will Salter 11-5, 11-6, 11-5.
Hamza Khan, another bright prospect for Pakistan, was equally clinical in his round-of-16 clash against Britain’s Will Salter. With sharp court coverage and relentless pressure, Hamza sealed the match 11-5, 11-6, 11-5. His performance not only showcased his growing maturity but also reflected the hard work he’s put in since his junior championship days.
With these victories, both players have booked their spots in the quarter-finals. Noor Zaman will now face France’s Melvil Scianimanico, who also made his way into the final eight with a straight-set victory over South Africa’s Damian Groenewald. Hamza Khan, meanwhile, will go head-to-head with Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran. The Malaysian player came from a game down to beat Vietnam’s Matthew Lam 6-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 in a spirited comeback.
In the consolation bracket, another Pakistani squash, Mohammad Ammad, displayed great endurance and fighting spirit in a grueling five-setter against Pouya Shafiefard of Iran. The tightly contested match went on for over an hour, with Ammad eventually winning 13-11, 9-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7. He will now compete against Radu Stefan Pena of Romania in the consolation quarter-final.
The championship has witnessed some thrilling encounters from top global talent. Egypt’s top-seed Ibrahim Elkabbani was made to work hard by France’s Matteo Carrouget but managed to prevail 11-7, 12-10, 11-6. He will now take on the Netherlands’ Rowan Damming, who advanced after Malaysian Duncan Lee was forced to retire from their clash.
Kareem El Torkey, another Egyptian contender, also made it to the quarter-finals after defeating Vietnam’s Lap Au in a convincing 11-4, 11-3, 12-10 win. Completing the last-eight lineup was Switzerland’s David Bernet, who overcame Spain’s Hugo Lafuente Jean 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-3.
On the women’s side of the tournament, strong contenders including Malak Khafagy (Egypt), Xin Ying Yee (Malaysia), Akari Midorikawa (Japan), Chan Sin Yuk (Hong Kong), Heylie Fung (Hong Kong), Aira Azman (Malaysia), Fayrouz Abouelkheir (Egypt), and Tse Yee Lam Toby (Hong Kong) all progressed to the quarter-finals with confident victories.
With Noor Zaman and Hamza Khan keeping Pakistan’s hopes alive, all eyes are now on the quarter-finals as the country dreams of securing a place in the final stages of this prestigious global event.
