SARAWAK: The Pakistan squash contingent put on a dominant show at the 3rd Asian Doubles Squash Championship 2026 in Sarawak, Malaysia, wrapping up the pool stages with statement victories over India and Hong Kong to safely advance to the quarterfinals.
- The Big Clash: In their final Pool B match, the formidable duo of Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal dismantled India’s Rahul Baitha and Suraj Kumar Chand in a swift 24-minute encounter, securing a straight-sets 2-0 win (11-5, 11-9).
- Team Two Rolls On: Pakistan’s second pairing, consisting of former World Junior Champion Muhammad Hamza Khan and Muhammad Asim Khan, mirrored that success in Pool D. They swept past their opponents from Hong Kong 2-0 (11-3, 11-9) in just 26 minutes.
With the group stages officially concluded, both Pakistani duos remain firmly in the hunt for continental glory as they move into the knockout brackets.
The Historical Context: Pakistan vs. India Head-to-Head in Squash
The squash rivalry between Pakistan and India carries immense historical weight, reflecting a dramatic shift in power over the decades.
Historically, Pakistan was the absolute superpower of world squash. Driven by the legendary Khan dynasty—most notably Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan—Pakistan utterly dominated the global circuit from the 1950s through the late 1990s.
During this golden era, encounter gaps between the two nations at all competitive levels were vast, with Pakistan routinely sweeping past Indian opponents in both individual and team events.
However, the turn of the century triggered a massive paradigm shift. As Pakistan’s infrastructure faltered, India invested heavily in its academy setups, producing world-class talents like Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal, and Joshna Chinappa.
Consequently, modern regional face-offs have become intensely competitive dogfights.
While India captured historic team gold medals over Pakistan at the 2014 and 2023 Asian Games, Pakistan has fought back through its roaring youth pipeline.
Led by emerging sensations like Hamza Khan and Noor Zaman, Pakistan continues to hold its ground.
Today, the head-to-head dynamic has transformed from an era of lopsided Pakistani dominance into a thrilling, high-stakes regional battleground across junior, senior, and doubles formats.
