ISLAMABAD - Defending champions Pakistan junior squash team was off to flying start in the 17th Asian Junior Team Championship 2015 started in Malaysia Wednesday, as the Pakistan won both their opening day matches against Singapore and South Korea.
In the first match, Pakistan brushed aside Singapore 3-0. Pakistan No 1 Tayyab Aslam beat Pang Ka Hoe 3-1 in 32 minutes. Surprisingly, Tayyab lost a game yet he managed to win a tight opening encounter against top Singapore player. Tayyab won the first game 11-2, but he lost the second 9-11, before winning the third and fourth 11-4 and 11-8 to give Pakistan 1-0 lead. In the second encounter, Syed Ali Mujtaba Bokhari beat Benedich Chan 3-1 in 43 minutes. Ali lost the first game 5-11, before winning the second, third and fourth 11-9, 11-3, 12-10 to give Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead. In the third dead rubber, Asim Khan beat Chua Man Chin 3-0 in 40 minutes, winning the match 11-5, 11-7, 11-8.
In the afternoon session’s second Pool-A match against South Korea, Pakistan once again carved out 3-0 victory. Tayyab beat Yoo Sung Yeon 3-0 in 26 minutes, winning the match 11-7, 11-8, 11-5. Ali Bokhari beat Oh Sung Hack 3-0 in just 25 minutes, winning the match 11-9, 11-4, 11-6, while in the third and dead rubber match, Asim beat Tack Hyo Jin 3-0 in 30 minutes winning it 11-6, 11-6, 11-9. Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF)'s inefficiency cost Pakistan dearly, otherwise, the championship had to be allocated to Pakistan, but despite having vice president slot in Asian Squash Federation (ASF), Air Vice Marshal (r) Syed Razi Nawab, could not help the country get their due right, as the ASF stripped off Pakistan from hosting the event without assigning any reason and the federation first kept on denying the entire saga, and then admitted that Pakistan was stripped off from hosting the event.
The PSF must focus on ground realities rather than making tall claims, as Pakistan is one and only country where despite giving mind-blowing results by former head coach Jamshed Gul Khan, the post was abolished just because of personal grudge. Now Pakistan squash is on a consistent decline, and the players are fading away fast in the PSA rankings with each month. At one end, the PSF is crying and showing themselves bankrupt and seeking special grant from PM, but on the other hand, they have bought useless Euro 800,000 squash court, which was available on throwaway price, but reasons best known to the PSF secretary and the SVP, why such a huge amount was agreed, although, the PSF claimed that the amount will be paid in four installments but even then, there are already more than enough courts available throughout the country. Instead of abolishing head coach post, just to save few bucks, the federation must stop wasting money on trivial things.
They don’t realise what they have done to future of squash players, they put Pakistan squash back to dark era and no one else but the current secretary and SVP are responsible for the entire saga. Every other country is stressing upon long-term coaching policies, but the situation is completely different in Pakistan, as personal egos have been ruling the roost and commonsense doesn't prevail. The PSF president doesn't have time to look into the affairs of the federation while the SVP has joined a private institution and he is least bothered about the federation. The secretary hardly sits in his office, as he has other important things to look after, so under present scenario, future of Pakistan squash looks quite bleak and only a miracle or change in federation can save Pakistan squash and help it in winning past glory.