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Pakistan’s Hamza Khan won the World Junior Squash Championship, ending the 37-year trophy drought for the country.
Hamza defeated Egypt’s Mohamed Zakaria in the final of the tournament being played in Melbourne. He claimed a 3-1 victory over Zakaria in the finale, with a scoreline of 10-12, 14-12, 11-3 and 11-6.
Pakistan last won the title 37 years ago when squash legend Jansher Khan clinched the victory in the World Junior Squash Championship.
Hamza qualified for the final of the World Junior Squash Championship on Saturday, making him the first Pakistani to reach the stage in 15 years.
French player Melvil Scianimanico fought back from two games and match ball down but Hamza prevailed in the decider to qualify for the final. Hamza won the match with a scoreline of 11-8, 11-4, 10-12, 9-11 and 13-11.
Hamza became first Pakistan player to reach the final of the event since Aamir Atlas in 2008.
Earlier, the Pakistani youngster defeated Malaysia’s Joachim Chuah 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10 to book his spot in the final four.
Hamza reached the quarter-finals on Thursday after defeating Colombia’s Santamaria 3-2 in a close contest in the pre-quarter-final. In the round of 16, Hamza beat Netherlands’ Samuel Grates by 12-10, 11-6, 11-3 and 11-7 on Wednesday.
Three Pakistani players, Hamza Khan, Moeen-ud-din and Huzaifa Ibrahim Khan, were sent to participate in the championship.
It must be noted that Hamza was the semi-finalist in the last year’s edition of World Juniors where he lost to England’s Finnlay Withington while Huzaifa is the former Asian number one in the junior category.
