KARACHI: Pakistan’s Noor Zaman has qualified for the main draw of the British Open Squash Championship after defeating Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey in the qualifying final.
The reigning World Under-23 Squash champion continued his impressive run on the professional circuit, securing his place in the main round of the prestigious tournament in England.
In the decisive qualifying match, the 10th-seeded Zaman overcame third-seeded El Torkey 11-5, 11-8, 3-11, 11-7 in 46 minutes.
Earlier in the qualifying rounds, Zaman defeated England’s Will Salter 3-1 (10-12, 11-2, 11-5, 11-3) in 42 minutes and Adrian Waller 3-1 (9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 14-12) in a 59-minute thriller.
Zaman, the first Pakistani player to reach the British Open main round since 2022, will face England’s Curtis Malik in the first round on Sunday.
In 2022, Tayyab Aslam was the last Pakistani to compete in the tournament’s main draw.
The rising star’s consistent performances highlight his growing stature in international squash.
Pakistan holds a record of 30 British Open titles — the most by any country, with 10 of these titles won by Janagir Khan.
