Noor Zaman qualifies for British Open Squash Championship main draw

KARACHI: Pakistan's rising squash star, Noor Zaman, has secured his place in the main draw of the prestigious British Open Squash Championship after a commanding performance in the qualifying finals. 

The reigning World Under-23 Squash champion continued his impressive run on the professional circuit, overcoming Egypt's Kareem El Torkey to punch his ticket to the main event in England.

In a hard-fought qualifying final, the 10th-seeded Zaman displayed exceptional skill and determination, defeating the third-seeded El Torkey in four games. The final scoreline read 11-5, 11-8, 3-11, 11-7, with the match concluding 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's qualification marks a significant achievement for the young Pakistani talent, as he now joins the elite field of players competing for one of squash's most coveted titles. 

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.