ISLAMABAD: Egyptian Karim El Hammamy and Pakistan’s fast improving Noor Zaman are seeded to meet in the final of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) International Squash that starts at the Mushaf Ali Mir Complex from November 24-28.
The $ 27500 PSA top ranked recognized event will see a host of foreign players competing for honours, cash and important ranking points. Karim has been seeded No 1 with Noor seeded No 2. Since the expiry date of sending entries both have changed their places on the PSA Ranking list with Noor becoming world No 42 and Karim following him as world No 43.
Egyptian Mustafa Elsirty and Henry Leung (Hong Kong) are seeded No 3 and four in the CAS Open. Ashab Irfan who is ranked No 59 on the PSA Ranking will miss the tournament as he would be busy playing in the USA. Asem Khan, former world junior champion Hamza Khan are other star attractions in the tournament. The winner of the tournament will collect around $ 5000 as a winner’s cheque along with 500 points on the PSA Ranking. The runner up will get richer by over $ 3000, besides getting 325 points on the ranking list.
Besides Pakistan, leading players from six other countries will compete in the CAS Open. These include Japan, Hong Kong, Egypt, Czech Republic, Malaysia and Switzerland. Meanwhile, Noor Zaman becomes the first Pakistan player in more than a year to check into the top 50 on the Players Squash Association (PSA) ranking list. The youngsters who toppled seeded players on his way to the quarter-finals in the Open Squash Classic in New York last week, is now ranked 42 in the world. He has started his campaign in the Richardson Wealth Classic starting in Vancouver (Canada). Tayyab Aslam was the last Pakistan player to have checked into the top fifty almost three years back. Nasir Iqbal made it to the World No 35 in 2016.