Karachi (Web Desk): Pakistan’s Noor Zaman scripted a thrilling chapter in his young squash career with a dramatic victory in the final of the inaugural WSF World Under-23 Championship.
Playing in front of a charged-up home crowd in Karachi, Zaman showcased grit and firepower as he clawed his way back from a two-game deficit to topple Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey in a five-game epic.
The final started with Zaman on the back foot, as El Torkey controlled the tempo and surged ahead with clinical precision. But just when the match seemed to be slipping away, the second-seeded Pakistani shifted gears.
Rally by rally, point by point, Zaman turned the tide with a fierce blend of determination and tactical brilliance, eventually sealing the match 3-2 after nearly an hour of intense action.
The victory didn’t come easy. It was built on a foundation of resilience, especially after his semi-final win over Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran less than 24 hours earlier. But Zaman dug deep.
Speaking after winning the match, he said the scoreboard didn’t matter once he decided to block out the noise and zone in on his strengths.
"I just told myself to keep pushing, to not give in," he said with a quiet confidence.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Shehbaz Sharif applauded outstanding performance of Noor Zaman in the tournament.
In a statement on Thursday, President Zardari congratulated Noor Zaman on winning the Under-23 World Squash Championship.
He said Noor Zaman gave the best performance in the championship, including the final.
Noor Zaman shone the name of Pakistan in the game of squash, the president added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his joy on the performance of Noor Zaman in the Under-23 World Squash Championship.
In a post on X, he said, “Delighted to see our homegrown talent, Noor Zaman, storm into the men’s final of the Under-23 World Squash Championships with an astounding 3-0 victory. Also, great performance by Muhammad Ammad and Amna Fayyaz in the plate events!”-