Pakistan go into a home championship as the team to beat this week. The Asian Team Squash Championships run from 3 to 7 November 2026 at the Mushaf Squash Complex in Islamabad, where six nations and 44 players are contesting the 23rd edition of the event. Pakistan’s men are the top seeds, their four players all sit inside the world top 100, and the country is hosting the championship for the first time since 1992.
- Dates: 3 to 7 November 2026
- Venue: Mushaf Squash Complex, Pakistan Sports Board, Aabpara, Islamabad
- Nations: Pakistan, Hong Kong China, Malaysia, Korea, Iran and Uzbekistan
- Pakistan’s men’s team titles over the years: a record 15
Top Seeds, and a Squad Inside the World Top 100
Pakistan’s men’s squad is Noor Zaman (world number 33), Muhammad Ashab Irfan (50), Mohammad Asim Khan (77) and Nasir Iqbal (94), coached by Tahir Iqbal, and no other men’s team in the draw has four players ranked that high. The draw, published by the Asian Squash Federation, puts Pakistan in Pool A with Korea and Uzbekistan, while Pool B holds second seeds Hong Kong China, third seeds Malaysia and fifth seeds Iran. Pakistan open against Uzbekistan on Tuesday 3 November at 4:00 pm on the glass court, face Korea at the same time on Wednesday, and the men’s final is set for Saturday 7 November at 3:00 pm.
The full schedule, read from the federation’s draw, has the pools playing through Thursday, including Korea against Uzbekistan at noon on Thursday 5 November. The semi-finals follow on Friday 6 November at 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, and the finals close the week on Saturday, all on the glass court. The men’s event fields 24 players and the women’s 20, making the 44 in total, and the championship is staged under the Pakistan Squash Federation at the Pakistan Sports Board’s Mushaf Complex, one of the country’s best-known squash venues.
A Championship Returns After 34 Years
There is history in the hosting itself. Pakistan staged the very first Asian Team Squash Championships in 1981 and hosted again in 1992, and The News records 15 men’s team titles for Pakistan, more than any other nation. This edition was first scheduled for April 2026 and was postponed because of the regional conflict, and the field settled at six men’s and five women’s teams after Sri Lanka withdrew from both events on 24 October. The federation published the final seedings on 30 October, confirming Pakistan at the top of the men’s order. The Pakistan Air Force, which runs much of the country’s squash programme, has played a central part in developing the sport that produced those champions. It is also a fitting homecoming in the season of Jahangir Khan’s 555-match winning record, and it follows the national side’s Asian Games team silver in Nagoya.
Photo: Jensbn, via Wikimedia Commons
Pakistan’s Women at the Asian Team Squash Championships
Pakistan’s women are seeded fourth in their five-team event and open against strong favourites Hong Kong China on Wednesday 4 November at 2:00 pm. The squad is Sana Bahadar (world number 179), Mehwish Ali (527), Mahnoor Ali and Sehrish Ali, coached by Sadia Gul. Group Captain (retd) Irfan Asghar oversees the management of both teams during the week. For home supporters, the week offers a full card: morning and evening sessions at the Mushaf Complex, a men’s team expected to reach the final, and a young women’s side testing itself against Asia’s best, in the same busy sports season that brought Pakistan’s Hong Kong Sixes Plate title.
Sources
- The News: Pakistan Name Teams for Asian Squash Championships
- The News: Pakistan Top Seeds in Asian Team Squash Championship
- Pakera: Asian Team Squash Championship 2026 Schedule and Guide
- Featured image: Noor Zaman and Ashab Irfan in action during their Asian Games matches. Photo: World Squash Federation, via The News
- In-body image: Two players on an all-glass squash court (file photo). Photo: Jensbn, via Wikimedia Commons
Umar is an engineer by profession and a passionate writer by passion. He has a deep interest in sharing good news related to Pakistan and has been working hard to promote the positive image of his homeland. Umar has written numerous articles on various topics related to Pakistan, such as technology, sports, culture, and economy.