ISLAMABAD - Pakistan top squash player Farhan Zaman Saturday vowed to win $10,000 Circuit-1 Squash Championship 2018 starting at Mushaf Squash Complex from 8th of this month for his ailing mother and sick father.

Farhan Zaman, who is presently world number 87, said his mother is fighting with cancer and his father was also hospitalised that gave him no time to practice ashe even didn’t has time to even sleep. “My entire routine has been badly disturbed. I have to take my mother for treatment and then had to remain with my father in hospital as well. Squash is my life as we are the proud champions of Pakistan. My family has produced matchless results for country. My uncle former world squash champion Qamar Zaman and cousin Mansoor Zaman had won lot of titles for country. I have always given more than 100 percent for country and now I am going through one of the toughest times of my life. I have to remain with my parents and also have to play for country.”

He said after Commonwealth Games in Australia he couldn’t train even for a single day and when he was departing for Australia her mother underwent a serious operation but just for the sake of the country, he left his ailing mother and played for Pakistan. “I have shifted to Islamabad to focus on my training just three days ago as in Peshawar I didn’t have time.

Here I have players and coaches to train with. I trained with Muhammad Yasin, Fazal Shah, Asif Khan and any available player or coach at the Mushaf Complex. I am slowly but gradually getting back to my usual best. Off course it is never easy to focus, when you are not mentally present and my family is facing one of the toughest times. Even then, my brave mother and proud father want me to play for Pakistan. This coming event is a test case for me as well as being the top seed I have to live up to the expectations. I know I have to face stiff resistance from seasoned campaigner Farhan Mehboob. No matter he is down in rankings but he is always a huge threat and class act and he is a real danger in my way of winning the title.

While another serious challenger will be Danish Atlas Khan, who is a fighter and now he is also back from the USA and he is also in same half. I had to be at my level best to beat these two. Others are also good especially the youngsters like Tayyab, Israr, Asim and Ammad Fareed but they are in other half. So they have to battle past each other and they are likely to play against me not before final. Being top seed and number 1, it adds extra responsibilities on my shoulders and now I am playing for a cause. I want to win the title and dedicate to my mother and father as today whatever I am enjoying is due to their prayers and I badly want to prove that I am the best in the country.”

He thanked the Pakistan Squash Federation for providing all the players ample opportunities to participate in the PSA events and represent country at different tournaments. He said he was also preparing himself for the upcoming Asian Games and is ready for both trials or without trials selection. “If federation selects team without trials it is ok for me and even if they want to conduct trials it is fine. I will contest trials and earn place in the touring squad,” Zaman concluded.