Jansher Khan believes Pakistan can win World Junior Squash Championships
Eight-time World Open and six-time British Open winner Jansher Khan is unhappy with the inadequate amount of time young Pakistani squash players are devoting to their training, but believes that these same youngsters can become World Junior Champions next year
if they train hard enough.
The 2011 World Junior Squash Championship will be held next July in Belgium. Pakistan won its last World Junior title in 1986, thanks to Khan himself.
“After me Pakistan has not been able to win the World Junior title and that is a big gap. Hopefully now with better preparation levels the title will come back to the country,” said Khan.
Khan also feels that once Pakistan brings home the World Junior title, players can be “further polished to put them on track for the World Senior title too.”
After being appointed national coach by the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) on December 21, Khan began a youth training camp in Peshawar for the World Junior Squash Championships as well as the Asian Championships. But the former
world number one believes the World Junior event is the real challenge for Pakistan’s young players.
Khan also had suggestions for how the PSF could improve the performance of squash players and boost the popularity of the sport among younger generations. For one thing, he recommends that the PSF should announce Rs. 10 million
rewards for players who make it to the world top ten. “Such big incentives can inspire the players to work hard to be the best in the world and hopefully the PSF president will agree to my recommendation,” says Khan.
He also believes other Pakistani squash greats – such as Gogi Alauddin, Jahangir Khan and Mohibullah – should lend their assistance to the PSF “for the national cause.”
Khan strongly advocates squash being played at educational institutions, and thinks national-level competitions (and consequently, national-level players) can be increased if more local competitions are arranged by regional units of the PSF.
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