Pakistan's squash star Noor Zaman begins British Open quest today

BIRMINGHAM: After winning the Under-23 World Championship, Noor Zaman, an emerging squash star from Pakistan, will now play in the British Open, one of the sport's most renowned competitions.

In addition to emerging as a top talent in last few years, he is proudly carrying forward one of Pakistan's most illustrious squash legacies. The 20-year-old will face Curtis Malik of England in the opening round today (Sunday).

Noor, who hails from another legendary squash family of Pakistan, is the grandson of Qamar Zaman, former world No 1 and British Open champion in 1975. His uncles Mansoor Zaman (former world No 11) and Shahid Zaman (former world No 14) also graced the world stage, and his father was a professional player and coach. Now, Noor is writing his own chapter.

After winning the U23 World Championship — bringing Pakistan the title in this category after many years — Noor secured direct entry into the World Championship which recently concluded in Chicago. There, he defeated the world No 20 Abdullah Al-Tamimi of Qatar before bowing out to the world No 7 Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad.

Building on that momentum, he recently qualified for the main draw of the British Open, defeating former world No 25 and Egypt’s Karim El-Torkey in the qualifiers — the same opponent he beat in the U23 World Championship final.

“Qualifying for the British Open is a huge moment for me,” said Noor. “It’s the toughest squash tournament in the world, alongside the World Open. All the top players are here, and getting into the main draw after playing qualifiers makes it even more meaningful.”

This marks the first time in recent years that a Pakistani has reached the British Open main draw via qualifiers. The last Pakistani in the tournament was Tayyab Aslam in 2022, who received direct entry.

Noor credits his success largely to the guidance of his grandfather and coach, Qamar. “I started playing squash at seven, and honestly, I didn’t like it much in the beginning. It was hard work, a lot of running, and sacrifice,” Noor admitted. “But my grandfather was strict, and he worked tirelessly with me. My foundation, my discipline — everything I’ve built is because of him.”

While Noor has great admiration for legends like Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, his favourite modern-era player is Egypt’s Ali Farag, the former world No 1 who recently announced his retirement.

“Ali Farag has always been my inspiration. He had such elegance and intelligence in his game. It’s sad to see him retire, but he’ll always remain a benchmark for me,” said Noor.

Beyond personal effort and family support, Noor points to the crucial backing from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which currently oversees the matters of the Pakistan Squash Federation. He praised their role in rejuvenating squash in the country.

“There was a time when Pakistani squash was declining due to lack of support. But now, thanks to the Pakistan Air Force, the situation is changing,” he said. “Under the leadership of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, the PAF is taking a direct and sincere interest in the sport. They’re providing players with better facilities, more exposure, and all kinds of support we need to succeed.”

Noor believes this institutional backing is key to restoring Pakistan’s former glory in squash. “If this kind of support continues, Insha’Allah Pakistani players will once again be among the world’s best. The talent is there — we just need the opportunities.”