The green flag was hoisted, and Pakistan’s anthem was played at the Melbourne Sports Centre on July 23, 2023. Hamza Khan was crowned the Junior World Champion 2023. It was a moment to cherish as Pakistan, once again, emerged on the map of international squash.
Once a dominating force in squash at the international level, it took Pakistan 37 years to bag the title of Junior World Champion. The great Jan Sher Khan was the last to win a junior world title, incidentally also in the Australian city of Brisbane in 1986.
The nation woke up to the news that Hamza prevailed over Egyptian Mohamed Zakaria 10-12, 14-12, 11-3, 11-6 in 70 minutes of a hard-fought final. It was a moment of great achievement for the young boy who had heralded his arrival three years ago when he won the British Open Junior title. Prior to that he won the Asian Junior title in Macau and then in Chennai, something of a harbinger of greater things to come from him.
“This is a great achievement and I am proud to have won the world title for my country,” a beaming Hamza said after the final. “It goes without saying that I have worked so hard for this title and am being backed by my parents, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Squash Federation.”
Pakistan had not seen a squash champion for yonks. So, as we celebrate Hamza’s crowning we must know how arduous his path to glory has been. Why did it take Pakistan so many years to revive the glory which saw a number of champions including the legendary Jahangir Khan and Jansher.
But as they say “a victory has many fathers, a defeat is an orphan,” Hamza’s win has given legions of people to come and once he lands in Islamabad on Tuesday all will start to glorify this win. A paean here and a song there. The front runners will be Pakistan Squash Federation whose efforts were few and far in between. PSF will own this victory despite the fact that Hamza’s path to this title was impeded like anything. The boy was forced to miss Professional Squash Association events and feature in some meaningless junior matches before the world event. That not only affected Hamza’s PSA rankings but ultimately got him banned for three months this year.
To add salt to his wounds, Hamza was not given proper support to enter the WSF Junior World Championship. It was alleged that the gentleman who was sent with Hamza was not qualified and did not provide him with courts for practice. Even the legendary Jahangir Khan minced no words in castigating the system and lack of support for the new champion.
“It should not have taken 37 years because we had ruled the game for so many years. Non- technocrats who had never held a racket accompanied him to the championship. I think those who had coached him and trained him should have gone with him. This boy is with the Pakistan Army and it was their contribution. Now the federation will claim that they are behind this triumph. We have a number of talented players like Hamza but things are not run on a professional basis. These players need a proper platform and a system.”
This has been the bane of squash. The PSF will hold a celebratory function, so will the Prime Minister, the IPC minister and hand the boy a few awards and some cash prizes. For a few years we will bask in the glory of the junior world title.
Thereafter start another wait for another 30 odd years rather than building on this success.
Hamza, the champion
Like most of the squash champions, Hamza too belongs to the village of Nawa Killi, the squash-player-fertile land of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Both JKs and many other greats belonged or have roots from that same part of the country. He also had squash in his blood. Hamza’s father Niazullah Khan had played the game at a higher level but could not make it to the international level. But Niaz’s brother-in-law Qamar Zaman was ranked as one of the stalwarts of the game, having won the British open title in 1975. The brother of Hamza’s mother, Shahid Zaman also played at the highest level (world number 14 at one stage) without making it to the top grades.
But Hamza’s passion to achieve greater things was evident in his bubbly and effervescent ways as a child.
“Hamza was very naughty in his childhood and there was no month when we parents were not summoned to school for his mischief in class. The head teacher would tell us that he doesn’t sit in the class and beat his classmates,” recalls Niazullah. “But besides his pranks, he was very active. While kids were sleeping in the hot summer afternoon, Hamza would fly kites and play squash in a room. The best thing about him was that we never taught him how to play but he would hold the racket like a professional. He forced his way into squash.
“I took him to the courts and he showed his talent. In the Junior squash title he beat the national champion Ammad in the first tournament he played. He used to win all the matches and then in 2018 he won the Asian junior title in Chennai. Then we realised that he can achieve bigger things,” said the father.
Hamza has since won 12 gold medals, three silvers and two bronzes in various competitions.
“Despite winning so many medals, Hamza always aspired to win the world title. He has worked so hard and trained day and night to win this world title. But this is the beginning and he has to achieve at higher and senior level,” vowed Niazullah.
Hamza needs to keep his feet on the ground. There are many distractions that should be avoided. It’s time now he forgets the junior circuit and starts playing at the higher level. He needs to double his efforts because the senior level is more demanding.
Hamza needs to fill his boots to whatever support he gets and deliver the British Open senior and junior world title.
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PSF response to criticism
“The PSF had sent two players for the WSF Junior World Championship. Besides Hamza, Huzaifa Ibrahim went from USA. We sent Air Commodore (retired) Aftab who has been with the PSF for the last eight years. He also accompanied Hamza at the Under-15 events before. Hamza’s triumph is a team effort and we must join and celebrate this victory,” said PSF secretary Zafaryab Iqbal.
