Egypt’s third-seeded Salman Khalil won the PN Fleet Club Open International Squash Championship after defeating Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal in the final in Karachi.
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The final was held at the Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan-Jahangir Khan Squash Complex under the auspices of the Sindh Squash Association.
Salman Khalil secured the title in straight games, defeating Nasir Iqbal 14-12, 11-3, 13-11.
The closely contested opening game went to Khalil 14-12 before the Egyptian player took the second game 11-3.
Nasir Iqbal fought back in the third game, but Khalil held his nerve to win 13-11 and complete a straight-games victory.
The championship carried a total prize purse of $41,000, attracting players and officials from the international squash community.
Commander Karachi Vice Admiral Faisal Amin (Hilal-e-Imtiaz) attended the final as the chief guest.
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Squash legend Jahangir Khan and former Governor Moinuddin Haider were also present at the championship final.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Faisal Amin welcomed the hosting of the international squash tournament and said the Pakistan Navy would continue supporting and promoting sports.
Adnan Asad, President of the Sindh Squash Association, highlighted plans to organize more squash competitions in the future.
He said several tournaments offering substantial prize money were being planned and urged players to work hard to achieve success.
The events are expected to provide Pakistani squash players with additional opportunities to compete at a higher level and gain international experience.
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Former world champion Jahangir Khan expressed his desire to see Pakistani squash players qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics and compete for gold medals.
Jahangir said players aiming to follow in the footsteps of Pakistan’s squash legends, including himself and Jansher Khan, need to remain focused on the sport and work consistently to achieve their goals.
The tournament’s conclusion adds another international squash event to Karachi’s sporting calendar and provides local players with an opportunity to compete against international opposition.
