Islamabad - Defending champions Pakistan moved into the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Senior Team Squash Championship 2018, after registering comfortable victory against minnows Sri Lanka in the Pool A match played in Cheongju, Korea on Thursday.

Pakistan boys will play quarterfinals against Singapore today (Friday), while after beaten by Sri Lanka in the first match, Pakistan girls finally bounced back in style to beat Thailand 3-0 in the ladies event.

In the first match of the day, Tayyab Aslam was pitted against Sri Lankan Gihan Suwaris. It was no match at all as vastly experienced Tayyab just toyed with Gihan and took the first game 11-2. Gihan showed some resistance in the second game but Tayyab took it 11-5 and went on to win the third game 11-5 to give Pakistan perfect start.

In the second match, Ammad Fareed was playing against Ravindu Laksiri. It was expected that Amamd would win the encounter with utmost ease and comfort, but he was pushed to limits by Laksiri. Amamd won the first game 12-10 and after very tough first game, Laksiri failed to repeat same performance and lost the next two games 11-5 and 11-5. In the third and last match, Asim Khan managed to win against Druvinka Perera. Asim won the first game 11-5, took second 11-6 and third 11-9. Pakistan gave rest to number 1 player Farhan Zaman, who is also captain of national team in the championship.

Pakistani females finally tasted victory, as they thrashed lowly Thailand 3-0. In the first match, Madina Zafar had to dig deep to beat Anantana Prasertratanakul 3-1. Madina won the first game 11-4, took second 11-8 but lost third 7-11 and won the fourth 11-5. Her younger sister Faiza Zafar simply outclassed Tuddaw Thamronglarp 3-0. She won first game 11-7, second 11-1 and third 11-1 to ensure Pakistan register first victory in the tournament. In the third encounter, experienced Riffat Khan thrashed Suvipa Kitvijarn 3-0, winning the match 11-2, 11-3, 11-7.

Despite the fact, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has made tall claims regarding over-the-moon coaching under the so-called coach M Yasin, who had stints with Pakistan teams in recent past too and proved a huge failure, but due to his connections with former legends, he managed to land coaching job against all the odds and without a single major performance or coaching expertise in recent times to his credit.

Ever since Air Marshal Shahid Akhtar Alvi was named as senior vice president, he failed to deliver. Yes, he has given out-of-the-way favours to super flops, who have no work in the federation and doesn’t know the ABC of squash, but due to their close contacts with the SVP, they are given highly important roles, where they have badly exposed and flopped.

Pakistani players have poor PSA rankings and they didn’t win even a single title of even $25,000 or more for the last year or so. Fahim Gul was doing reasonable job in his limited role, but he was shown the doors for nothing but Pakistan National Squash Academy (PNSA) Director Air Commodore (R) Aftab Ahmed, who is well-known for his behaviour and zero squash knowledge, has failed to produce even a single player at national level but he is still stick to his job and there is no one who can dare to ask questions about his poor performances.

The PSF must inform about how seriously they have pleaded Nasir Iqbal case, who was Pakistan’s lone representative in the PSA top 30s, while why Farhan Mehboob was given such harsh and totally unjustified treatment? Who had given right to Aftab to use highly objectionable language against top players and why the gentleman is still heading PNSA despite a complete failure. If Fahim Gul was sacked due to poor results, then on what grounds Aftab is still holding the key post?

It is hoped that new Air Chief Mujahid Anwar Khan, who is also the PSF president, will take things very seriously and take strong action to save squash from further decline. Only stern actions are only solution to Pakistan squash woes. There is a dire need to bring in genuine professional coach, who may change the fortune of Pakistan squash.

When this scribe contacted PSF secretary Group Captain Tahir Sultan to seek his point of view regarding Pakistan team’s performances, he said: “We are not satisfied and told the players to pay more focus and results on second day would be positive. But one should remember that other teams also came here with full preparations and to win, so our players need to give out their best to register victories.”