Q. How long have you been playing squash, and where?
I have been playing squash since my early teenage years. I started playing in my hometown of Lahore, at the Pakistan Squash Racquets Association (PSRA) courts. My father coached and trained me at the club. I participated in local tournaments until I could make my name as a prominent junior player, having won the Irish, German and British Junior Opens.
I also played in various tours for the Pakistan team in Australia in 1973, where I had the privilege of playing alongside Khalid Mir, the current squash head of the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, the 2nd biggest club of its kind in the US. On the tour I won 4 out of 5 matches.
Later on, I went to England to make a living through squash. My expenses were covered through my playing in a myriad of tournaments per year, around 20-25 to be exact.
Q. How come you played in so many tournaments in a year in England?
The reason I played in so many tournaments was because there wasn’t much money in squash in those days. I needed to meet the expenses of living so I played in small events.
Q. When did you go pro?
I became a professional player in 1973. It all started when I participated in a Benson and Hedges series tour around Europe. Benson & Hedges then sponsored me. British Caledonian Airlines, a now defunct company, also sponsored me. But the sponsorship of PIA enabled me to travel free to any of the tournaments I decided to play.
Air Marshall Nur Khan called me to the Ambassador Hotel and offered me the sponsorship of PIA. I was then given a lucrative contract at a time when the British Open Champion received only 500 pounds for prize money.
Q. What made you start playing squash?
I wanted to adopt squash as a reputable profession. Myself, like Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan and Qamar Zaman, all came from underprivileged backgrounds, and since there wasn’t much money behind squash in those days, none of us saw it as a hugely financial opportunity. I initially faced a lot of problems but now as the times have changed; squash facilities have become more accessible.
Q. How long have you coached players for?
I have been coaching for around 18 years now since I started the job in a prominent squash club in Kuwait, where the royal family sponsored my stay. However, when the war in Kuwait broke out, I was left in a tough situation and had to return come back. Besides being Punjab coach, I coached Pakistan team. Currently, I am the Punjab squash team coach.
Q. Has anyone you coached turned out to be a prominent player?
I’d consider Yasir Butt, Sohail Qaiser and Basit Ashfaq to be my greatest prodigies. Yasir has been a multiple national champion winning Pakistan Opens several times. Sohail ended up winning the Under-23 Junior World Squash Championship. Basit is a successful team squash player at the collegiate level, having played for Trinity College, based in Connecticut in the US.
Q. Compare the level of squash from your playing days to nowadays.
I’d say players in my time were more technical, whereas players these days have employed a more physical game. In our days, there more lets, and the point system during rallies was different (each player could only score points on their serve). But now-a-days Pakistani players are lacking that physical component to their game.
