Pakistan squash players continue to disappoint

 

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan squash players continue to disappoint despite getting great facilities from the Pakistan Squash Federation as they were crash out of very first round of the event in.

Pakistan squash hopes Farhan Mehboob and Farhan Zaman, who are being fully supported by the PSF, completely failed to prove their mettle at international level. Veteran Farhan Mehboob though managed to win PSA events last year and early this year and also won Egypt-V and World-v matches, defeating world number 2, yet he is a super flop when it comes to play outside the country.

Mehboob lost in the first round in USA, first round in Hong Kong and once again both Farhan Mehboob and Farhan Zaman made early exists in $25,000 Life Time Chicago Open 2017. Zaman lost in the first round against American Todd Harrity, while Mehboob was thrashed by bulky Egyptian Omar Abdel Meguid 3-1 in the second round.

Both Zaman and Mehboob looked highly reluctant to follow Pakistan National Squash Academy (PNSA) training rules and regulations and always find one or another reason to skip the training. Both promised to perform next time, but despite a lapse of more than two years, these players couldn’t deliver and wasting a huge national wealth on just foreign tours.

Both Mehboob and Zaman have to realise that they are given air tickets worth thousands of rupees and handsome TADAs but in response, when they produce such pathetic results, it disappoints the entire nation as well as the federation. When such poor and average performances can be achieved through any other player, then what is the need of spending huge amount on these super flops? Winning friendly series at home is a different thing and playing at neutral venue and to perform there is a completely different thing.

The federation must seek explanation from both the players and strict action must be taken against them, as these players need to give performances through rackets. They are not super models, so their mobile phones must be taken away, as mostly they remain busy in taking selfies, rather than paying heed on their training and practice.

The federation must realise that the huge amount, they have been spending on players , trainers and coaches, are tax-payers money and mainly it is generated through Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The federation must not waste the national kitty on players , who can’t win qualifiers or bow out at very first hurdle; instead it should use this amount on players’ training and at grassroots level.

The PSF must forget about fear of losing, as it is true that Pakistan had ruled the squash world for almost four decades, but it is also bitter reality that for the past two decades, none of Pakistani players could win a major title, not a single Pakistani player managed to break into top 10 in PSA rankings. Due to this fear factor, the PSF melts down under pressure and spends huge amount on those players , who are tigers at home, but pussy cats abroad.

For the last several years, not a single Pakistani player managed to win $25,000 or above PSA title abroad, with only exception of Nasir Iqbal and Farhan Mehboob, who won $25,000 titles, but all those victories were made possible at home.

Nasir Iqbal had the potential of breaking into top 20 or beyond and he was aiming high, but Indian conspiracy and previous PSF management were responsible of inflicting unjust 4-year ban on Nasir. It was not the youngster’s fault, but former senior vice president Razi Nawab and secretary Amir Nawaz, who failed to handle the case properly. Had both gentlemen taken Nasir’s case seriously, the things could have been quite different.

Razi and Amir’s self-styled policies also resulted in number of top players including Aamir Atlas, Danish Atlas and others, turning their backs on country and reside in USA. Razi and Amir were the real culprits and it is national duty of PSF president Air Marshal Sohail Aman to seek explanation from them for not handling Nasir’s case properly.