Pakistan to host biggest squash event in over 20 years

KARACHI: Pakistan will host its most lucrative squash tournament in over two decades to start the year 2026, marking a significant step in the sport’s return to a country that once dominated the global game.

The Karachi Open, a PSA World Tour Gold event offering a total prize purse of around $243,000, will be held January 6-11 at the DA Creek Club — the venue that earlier staged the World U23 Championships in April this year. It is the first top-tier PSA event in Pakistan in two decades.

The men’s and women’s competitions will each carry prize money of $121,500. Organisers said that five of the world’s top 10 male players and three of the top 10 women have signed on, underscoring Pakistan’s re-emergence as a viable destination for elite squash.

Former world champion and current World No 5 Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt will lead the men’s draw as top seed. Gawad is chasing his third title on Pakistani soil, having previously won the Pakistan Open in 2018 and the Karachi Open in 2022. His eight-match winning streak in Karachi makes him one of the clear favourites.

World No 7 Marwan ElShorbagy is seeded second, followed by World No 6 Youssef Ibrahim and former World No 1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, now representing England. World No 11 Mohamed Zakaria completes the top six seeds.

Pakistan will be represented by rising World U23 champion Noor Zaman, along with Muhammad Ashab Irfan, Tayyab Aslam, and Nasir Iqbal. Tayyab and Nasir are wild-card entrants to the tournament.

In the women’s field, Egypt’s World No 3 and reigning World Junior Champion Amina Orfi headlines the draw. Malaysia’s World No 6 Sivasangari Subramaniam is seeded second, while Egypt’s World No 9 Fayrouz Aboelkheir is the third seed. Local wild cards Sana Bahadar and Mariam Malik will compete in the main draw.

The event marks Pakistan’s most expensive squash tournament since the 2003 World Open in Lahore, which carried a $175,000 purse. Karachi has been slowly rebuilding its presence on the international circuit, hosting the World U23 Championships in April with $60,000 in prize money.

For Pakistan, once home to legends like Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, the return of high-profile PSA events highlights the investment in the sport. Officials hope the PSA World Tour Gold tournament Karachi Open will accelerate the revival of competitive squash in a country seeking to reconnect with its historic past.