Ahmad Rayan Khalil of Peshawar defeated Malaysia's Vedoran Rotheran 3-0 in the Under-15 final, while Nauman Khan outclassed India's Shiven Agarwal in straight games in the Under-17 category at the Asian Junior Squash Championship in China. These twin gold medals ended a prolonged title drought for Pakistan in the Asian junior circuit and highlighted the growing strength of grassroots squash programmes in Peshawar.
Dominant Performances in Finals
In the Under-15 final, Ahmad Rayan Khalil delivered a dominant performance, winning in straight games against Malaysia's Vedoran Rotheran. Nauman Khan followed suit in the Under-17 category, defeating India's Shiven Agarwal in straight games to become the Asian Under-17 champion. Both players are from Peshawar and have been trained under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Squash Association's programmes.
Ending a Title Drought
Pakistan had not won an Asian junior squash title in several years. The victories by Khalil and Khan mark a significant milestone for Pakistan's resurgence in the sport. Former world champion Qamar Zaman and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Squash Association President Dawood Khan hailed the achievements as a major boost for the revival of squash in the country.
Recognition from Officials
Dawood Khan said the association had continued to organise monthly tournaments despite limited resources to provide young players with regular competitive opportunities. “These victories reflect the hard work and commitment of our young athletes and coaches,” he said, expressing confidence that both champions would continue to excel at the international level. Qamar Zaman described the success as a positive sign for the future of Pakistani squash, adding that the results demonstrated the effectiveness of grassroots training initiatives in Peshawar.
Call for Government Support
Qamar Zaman urged the provincial government to extend greater support to the sport, noting that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Squash Association had not received its annual grant for the past six years. “Despite financial constraints, producing two Asian champions is nothing short of remarkable,” he said, reaffirming the association’s commitment to training and developing young talent.
