Asian Squash moved to August

KARACHI: Asian Squash Federation (ASF) has moved Asian Individual Championships, which is to be hosted by Pakistan, to August and the dates are still subject to change.

According to the ASF’s calendar updated on Thursday, the championship will be hosted by Pakistan from August 25-29 in Islamabad but the dates are still subject to change due to uncertainty regarding covid-19.

Earlier, this championship was scheduled in May. Pakistan is hosting this event after a gap of eight years. In March 2019, ASF awarded Pakistan the hosting rights of the 21st edition of this important championship.

ASF administrative manager Jane Li confirmed to ‘The News’ that ASF allotted the rights to Pakistan at the 39th Annual General Meeting of ASF at Pattaya, Thailand.

Pakistan hosted the 17th edition of this Asian championship in Islamabad in 2013, which was won by Pakistan’s Amir Atlas Khan. It was after 14 years that Pakistan had secured the top slot at that level.

Pakistan had won the title in 1998 when Zarak Jahan Khan defeated Kenneth Low in Kuala Lumpur. Zarak was also the winner in 1994. The other Pakistanis to have won the championship are Jahangir Khan, Qamar Zaman and Mir Zaman Gul — each of them clinched the title twice.

The 18th edition of the championship was held in Kuwait and the 19th edition was held in India.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Asian Team Championships will be held in Kuala Lumpur from August 17-21.