PSF to hold inaugural squash league in March next year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to launch Pakistan Squash League in March next year featuring top-notch foreign players, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Senior Vice President, Air Marshal Aamir Masood revealed on Wednesday.

“The inaugural edition of the league will feature six teams with each one of them having two to three foreign players and as many domestic players,” Masood told media at the opening ceremony of Chief of the Air Staff-Serena Hotels International Championship for Men and Serena Hotels-Combaxx Sports International Squash Championship for Women at Mushaf Squash Complex, Islamabad.

“We’ve already started work to hold the league and soon it will be given final touches. We believe the league will help in the development and growth of our promising players. It will also help the country regain its historic aura in squash,” he said.

He said the federation had yet to decide about the venues of the league matches.

“We can make a start either from Karachi or Islamabad. But we are considering holding its semifinals and final at Mazar-e-Quaid (Karachi) and Minar-e-Pakistan (Lahore). Holding these fixtures at the open places of these most popular sites will catch public attention, ultimately paving the way to once again popularize squash in the country,” he said, “Initially, the league will be a men event but after its success we’ll also hold women event,” he added.

According to Masood other steps are also being taken to regain the glory of squash and rebuild Pakistan’s supremacy in the game internationally.

He said Pakistan squash could go through a successful transition if young players were provided with more opportunities to showcase their talent.

“For this purpose, camps are being organized at the school and college level. Similarly, our academies are already functioning in Karachi, Abbottabad, Peshawar and Rawalpindi. Hopefully, in next two to three years, Pakistan will once again start producing world champions in squash.”

He said the federation had contacted foreign trainers and coaches besides availing the expertise of Pakistani coaches. “The federation has already hired the country’s top coach Faheem Gul to prepare the players,” he added.