Noor Zaman Carries Pakistan Flag and Squash Ambitions Into Asian Games

PESHAWAR: At just 22, Noor Zaman is preparing to carry Pakistan’s national flag at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Nagoya, but the young squash star will enter the competition carrying another responsibility as well.

He is part of a new generation attempting to restore Pakistan’s place among the world’s leading squash nations.

Noor will walk into the opening ceremony on Saturday with the honour of representing Pakistan as flag bearer. When he steps onto the court, he will also be carrying the expectations attached to a sport that once brought the country decades of international success.

“I want to bring Pakistan back to the top in squash and make my country champions again,” Noor said. “I am working towards that goal and giving everything I can.”

For generations, Pakistan was one of the dominant forces in international squash. Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan established an extraordinary legacy, with the pair helping Pakistan remain at the centre of the sport for almost two decades.

Noor grew up hearing those stories rather than experiencing that era himself. Squash, however, runs deeply through his own family.

His grandfather, Qamar Zaman, was a world champion, while his uncle Mansoor Zaman reached as high as No. 11 in the world rankings.

Pakistan has not produced another men’s world champion since Jansher Khan ended his career in 1998. Since then, the country’s squash programme has faced challenges involving funding, facilities and international exposure.

Noor believes the history of his family is a source of motivation rather than pressure.

“There is responsibility, but I do not feel pressure,” he said. “My grandfather built a great name for himself and I am working hard to build my own name for Pakistan.”

The recognition surrounding Noor has grown rapidly. He recently became the third generation of his family to receive the President’s Pride of Performance award, an honour announced only weeks before he was selected as Pakistan’s flag bearer for the Asian Games.

He now heads into the men’s singles competition as the third seed. Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng and India’s Abhay Singh are seeded above him.

Noor knows the competition will be demanding and does not expect any easy matches.

“Everyone is tough and nobody is easy in this tournament,” he said.

His Asian Games journey also carries a sense of unfinished business. In 2022, Noor represented Pakistan as a junior when the team reached the final but lost to India.

Four years later, he returns with considerably greater experience and expectations.

This time, he is regarded as one of Pakistan’s leading medal hopes.

The importance of the competition has also increased because the men’s individual gold medal winner will earn direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

That opportunity has become a major motivation for Noor, who believes his preparation has put him in a position to challenge for the title.

“I have worked very hard for this opportunity,” he said. “I am fully prepared and will give my best to win the gold medal.”

His confidence has been strengthened by a breakthrough period in his career.

In 2025, Noor captured the Under 23 World Championship title in Karachi. The victory was particularly significant because Pakistan had hosted the world championship event after a long gap.

Noor credited his preparation and fitness work for helping him reach the title.

He said the championship victory also gave him greater confidence and helped accelerate his progress on the Professional Squash Association rankings.

He currently sits at No. 29 in the world and has already established another ambitious target. Noor wants to break into the world’s top 13 or top 12 during the next ranking cycle, which begins in January.

That goal reflects the larger ambition he has for his career. Rather than simply becoming Pakistan’s leading player, Noor wants to establish himself among the strongest squash players internationally.

His preparations for the Asian Games have included regular competition on the PSA Tour, including appearances in London and Qatar.

At the Qatar Classic, Noor suffered a narrow first round defeat against Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey. Despite taking the opening two games, he eventually lost the five game contest 3 2.

For Noor, those matches were important even in defeat because competitive experience is essential before a major tournament.

“You cannot go directly into the Asian Games without match practice,” he said.

His training base remains the Mushaf Squash Complex in Islamabad, where he has continued his preparation under the Pakistan Squash Federation.

Noor also acknowledged the support he has received from the federation and the Pakistan Air Force during his preparation for the Asian Games.

He will not be Pakistan’s only player carrying expectations in the squash competition. Ashab Irfan, another 22 year old, is ranked 48th in the world and enters the tournament as Pakistan’s second ranked player.

The two have developed through the same national system and now represent a new generation of Pakistani squash players.

Their challenge is not simply to win medals at one Asian Games. They are attempting to build a pathway back toward the level of success Pakistan enjoyed during the eras of Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan.

For Noor, the Asian Games offer a major opportunity to take another step toward that objective.

Carrying the national flag will mark one of the most significant moments of his young career. The bigger task begins when he enters the squash court, where he will attempt to turn Pakistan’s celebrated history in the sport into a new chapter of success.

With Olympic qualification at stake, a growing world ranking and a major international title already on his record, Noor enters the Asian Games determined to show that Pakistan’s squash legacy may have faded from the top of the sport, but it has not disappeared.

Courtesy: dawn