Another big international squash event becomes national

KARACHI: Another high-prize international squash event has been converted into a national event.

Chief of Naval Staff International Squash has been a regular event in Karachi since 2015. But this year, the organisers have converted it into a national event and its first edition is to be held here in Karachi from December 6-10.

The first CNS International Squash had prize money of $15,000 and it was won by Nasir Iqbal from Pakistan. The prize money was increased to $25,000 in its edition second edition in 2016 which was won by Zahed Salem from Egypt.

The third edition was held in 2018 with the prize money of $20,000 and it was won by Youssef Ibrahim from Egypt. The fourth edition was held in 2020 with the prize money of $20,000 and it was won by Ivan Yuen from Malaysia.

Last year the fifth edition was held with the prize money of $20,000 and it was won by Moustafa El-Sirty from Egypt. It is to be noted that a number of high-prize international events have been converted into local events in the past few years in Pakistan.

The high profile Roshan Khan international, a popular Asian-level junior event, was the first casualty when it was converted into a seniors’ event. DG Rangers was an acclaimed junior event at Asian level with good foreign participation but it was first converted into a senior international event and then into a local championship.

“This is both good and bad. It is bad for local players who get expensive PSA membership to play such international events since they cannot afford to go abroad for events,” said a local coach. “It’s a good decision in a way that international events held in Pakistan have become mere a show of foreign players,” said the coach.