ISLAMABAD-Pakistan number 1 Sadia Gul to clash Madina Zafar in the final of the Chairman POF Board National Women Squash Championship 2017 after registering straight games victory against former champion Zoya Khalid in the semi-final played here at Jahangir Khan Squash Complex, Wah on Tuesday.
In the other semi-final, young Madina thrashed experienced Saima Shoukat 3-0. Pakistan Squash Federation organised the event to provide females a chance to enhance their skills as the $25,000 PSA event is round the corner while the outconme of the tournament would also help the federation to decide whom they are going to award wildcard for the PSA mega championship, which is being allocated to Pakistan after a long gap.
One thing is quite astonishing that why the federation is trying to keep everyone happy and why they are investing on used old bullets. They are still giving so much importance to those associations, who completely failed to provide or recommend any fresh talent to the federation. The federation is under enormous pressure from certain quarters. One thing is crystal clear that it is the federation, who are not only investing heavily on players but also facing the music from different quarters. The federation must take bold stance and give shut up call to all conspirators, who had just one aim and that to mint favours and pass on the criticism on federation.
Rather than investing on same old ladies, who had well passed their peaks and had no future even at national level the federation must invest in fresh talent. Sadia, Sammer, Riffat and Madina sisters deserve to be given exposure, training and PSA events in same way the federation is providing to male players. It is highly appreciable step of the present management to take females onboard who were long ignored by the previous management of Razi Nawab and Amir Nawaz who just had remained busy in self-praise and joyrides. They inflicted huge damages to squash as they banned Aamir Atlas, Farhan Mehboob and just because of their attitude, Danish and others left Pakistan and resided in the USA and other countries.
It is moral and national as well as a PSA requirement to take females onboard. But previous management doesn’t paid any heed towards the females as they were not even ready to invest on males and were busy in self-projection. It is high time, Shahid Akhtar Alvi under the patronage of Air Chief must deliver on all fronts. Alvi looks highly determined and his steps are indicating that he is not ready to take unnecessary pressure as he understands well that without investing on fresh blood, desired results are hard to buy. The federation must hire internationally reputed coach as without a top level coach, players can’t make any progress. Self-proclaimed champion coaches failed miserably to deliver and now is the time that rather than obliging and having an army of coaches, the federation should hire one top class coach and hire young coaches, who could match players in the squash courts.
In the first semi-final, Sadia was up against former national champion and one of the hardest players of modern era Zoya. But Sadia was too hot to handle for even highly experienced Zoya. Sadia took the first game 11-7. She won the second game 11-4 and wrapped up the match by winning third game 13-11.
In the second semi-final, Madina was up against veteran Saima. It was no match on papers, as Saima had loads of experience behind her back while Madina had hardly time for squash as she is studying. But Madina showed her class and potential, as she simply routed Saima, winning 11-2, 11-9 and 11-8 to set date with Sadia. The final will be played today. PSF Senior Vice President Air Marshal Shahid Akhtar Alvi, secretary Group Captain Tahir Sultan, Director Pakistan National Squash Academy Air Commodore (R) Aftab Qureshi and others will grace the final, while cash prizes and trophies will also be distributed.
