Islamabad: Pakistan won the 23rd Asian Team Squash Championship on Saturday, defeating South Korea 2 to 0 in the men's final at the Mushaf Squash Complex in Islamabad to claim their first title in the competition since 2016.
Noor Zaman and Asim Khan secured victories in their respective matches, giving the hosts their 16th gold medal in the tournament's history. The result marks Pakistan's return to the top of the continental men's team competition after a 10 year gap. The victory also adds to the country's record in a sport in which Pakistan has previously produced world champions and maintained a presence in international competitions.
Pakistan's route to the final
Pakistan entered the championship decider after defeating Hong Kong China 2 to 0 in the semi final. Asim Khan opened the tie with a four-game victory over Wong Chi Him, winning 11 to 4, 6 to 11, 11 to 7, 11 to 3 in 50 minutes.
After taking the opening game, Asim conceded the second before recovering to win the next two and give Pakistan the lead. Noor Zaman then secured the second point against Lau Tsz Kwan, winning 5 to 11, 11 to 5, 11 to 5, 11 to 8 in 44 minutes. Despite losing the first game, Noor responded by taking three consecutive games to complete Pakistan's passage to the final without requiring a deciding match.
The semi final performances placed both players at the centre of Pakistan's title campaign, which concluded with another straight-tie victory against South Korea.
South Korea eliminate defending champions Malaysia
South Korea reached the final after defeating defending champions Malaysia 2 to 1 in the other semi-final. The tie was decided by Seojin Oh, who recovered from losing the opening game against Duncan Lee to win 1 to 11, 11 to 6, 11 to 7, 11 to 9. The result ended Malaysia's title defence and secured South Korea a place in the championship match against hosts Pakistan.
However, the Korean side could not repeat that performance in the final, where victories by Noor Zaman and Asim Khan settled the contest in Pakistan's favour. The final result underlined Pakistan's ability to convert its home advantage into a championship victory against opponents who had already eliminated the previous titleholders.
Pakistan women lose to Iran
Pakistan's women's team, meanwhile, suffered a 2 to 1 defeat against Iran. Iran's Narges Soltani defeated Sehrish Ali in straight games, winning 11 to 9, 11 to 5, 11 to 8 to give her side the opening point. Mahnoor Ali brought Pakistan level with a four-game victory over Baran Mohammadpoor, winning 11 to 4, 3 to 11, 11 to 8, 11 to 9.
The tie was then decided by Fereshteh Eghtedar, who defeated Sana Bahadar 11 to 8, 11 to 6, 11 to 6. The result secured Iran's women's team its first bronze medal in the history of the Asian Team Squash Championship. For Pakistan, the women's result highlighted the difference between the two national teams' outcomes at the tournament, with the men winning gold while the women were unable to progress past Iran.
Championship held after postponement
The Asian Squash Federation organised the championship in Islamabad from November 3 to 7 after postponing the event from its original April schedule. The federation had rescheduled the competition because of rising tensions in the Middle East, which affected preparations for the regional tournament.
The event brought national teams to Pakistan for one of Asia's principal squash competitions, providing players with an opportunity to compete at team level. Hosting the championship also formed part of Pakistan's efforts to maintain a presence on the international squash calendar.
More international tournaments scheduled in Pakistan
Following the Asian Team Squash Championship, Pakistan is scheduled to host four more international squash tournaments with combined prize money of $439,000. The upcoming competitions will provide further opportunities for players to compete internationally on home courts.
For Pakistan's men's team, the title represents a result after a decade without Asian team gold, while the planned tournaments offer an opportunity to build on that performance. The championship also draws attention to the importance of developing players capable of sustaining results across regional and international competitions.
With the men's team returning to the top of the Asian rankings at this tournament, attention will now turn to whether Pakistan can translate its team success into continued progress at future events.
