KARACHI: Pakistani squash players Muhammad Asim Khan, Noor Zaman, and Muhammad Ashab Irfan have advanced to the semi-finals of the Mile High 360 Squash Championship, a $15,000 prize money event in the United States, marking a remarkable achievement with three of the top four players being from Pakistan.
In a standout performance, Ashab Irfan overcame top-seeded Canadian David Baillargeon in straight games. Irfan, hailing from Lahore, secured a commanding victory with scores of 11-6, 12-10, and 11-7, earning his spot in the semi-finals where he will face England’s Tom Walsh.
Asim Khan, seeded fifth, faced a challenging quarter-final against second seed Cesar Salazar of Mexico. After taking a 2-1 lead, Salazar retired in the fourth game, handing Asim victory with a final scoreline of 12-10, 2-11, 11-7, and 11-0. Khan will now meet fellow countryman Noor Zaman in an all-Pakistani semi-final clash.
Noor Zaman battled past the 4th seeded American Spencer Lovejoy in a hard-fought four-game encounter. Zaman took the first two games 11-8 and 11-2 before Lovejoy responded by winning the third game 11-8. Zaman, however, recovered to close out the match with an 11-6 win in the fourth, securing his place in the semi-finals.
Earlier, Asim Khan defeated India’s Veer Chotrani, Ashab Irfan produced a strong showing against Dillon Huang of the United States, while Noor Zaman dominated eighth-seed Joseph White of Australia to qualify for the quarter finals.
With three Pakistani players among the final four, the tournament has turned into a showcase of Pakistan’s squash talent. Asim Khan and Noor Zaman's semi-final guarantees a Pakistani finalist, while Ashab Irfan will aim for another triumph against Walsh to potentially set up an all-Pakistani final.
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.
