Top squash players to visit Pakistan for two series this month

KARACHI: World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad from Egypt and nine other international players are coming to Pakistan to play two exhibition series later this month.

It has been learnt that World number two Karim and nine other international players are coming to Pakistan to play World-V versus Pakistan series on July 12-13 and Pakistan versus Egypt series on July 15-16.

The international players to be featured in World vs Pakistan series are world number 52 Nathan Lake from England, world number 44 Lucas Serme from France, world number 50 Todd Harrity from United States, world number 33 Leo Au from Hong Kong and world number 35 Karim Ali Fathi from Egypt.

The Egyptian team to play Egypt versus Pakistan series has world number 53 Mazen Hesham, world number 2 Karim Abdel Gawad, world number 28 Omar Mossad, world number 15 Mohammad Abouelghar, and world number 22 Zahed Mohamed.

Both the events will be played at Mushaf Squash Complex, Islamabad. “Each international player of the world team vs Pakistan series is charging from $3500 to $4000 to play this series,” said a source.

And, the source added, each Egyptian player is charging $5,500 for Egypt vs Pakistan series. “World champion Karim is to be paid $9000 to $10,000,” the source added. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan played a similar series against Egypt in April last year at PAF Museum in Karachi. Pakistan lost 3-2 to Egypt.

Pakistani team comprised Asim Khan, Tayyab Aslam, Farhan Mehboob, Farhan Zaman, and Shahjahan Khan. Egyptian team had M Aboulghar, Tarek Momin, Ali Farag, Mazen Hesham, and Karim Abdel Gawad.

The Egyptian team was paid $40,000 ($8000 to each player) and Pakistani team got $10,000. President Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) stated at the closing ceremony that the series would pave the way for return of international squash to Pakistan.