KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistan’s Hamza Khan on Sunday won the World Junior Squash Championship, bringing the title to the South Asian nation that once ruled the sport after 37 years.
Khan beat Egypt’s Mohamed Zakariya 3-1 in the final played in Melbourne, Australia.
“Hamza Khan comes from behind to win the 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Championship!” the World Squash Federation said in a tweet.
The 17-year-old, who won the U-15 title at the British Junior Open Squash Championship in 2020, thanked his coach, his managers and his parents for their support.
“First of all, I would like to thank Allah, and my thanks to my coaches, my managers, thanks to everybody. And thanks to my parents, who support me every single time. Thank you,” he said.
Pakistan was once known for producing world class squash players, including Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, who last won the championship in 1986. The country’s presence in the game, however, has been marginal over the past two decades partly due to a perceived lack of support from the government.
