Dominant Performance Secures 3-0 Victory Over Egypt’s Elsirty
KARACHI: Pakistan’s rising squash star Noor Zaman claimed a major international title by winning the Nash Cup 2025 in London, Canada, defeating Egypt’s Moustafa Elsirty in straight sets in the final.
Zaman, seeded fifth, delivered a stunning performance against the tournament’s No. 2 seed, clinching the match 3-0 in a high-intensity 52-minute battle. He edged a thrilling first game 19-17, before closing out the final with scores of 11-7 and 11-9.
The victory is a significant milestone for the 21-year-old World U23 Champion, marking his growing dominance on the PSA World Tour, where the Nash Cup is a Copper-level event with a total prize purse of $31,250.
Road to the Title
Zaman reached the final after an emphatic 3-0 semifinal win over Colombia’s Matias Knudsen (seeded 7), cruising through 11-3, 12-10, 11-3 in just 28 minutes.
In the quarterfinals, he overcame Colombia’s Ronald Palomino with a hard-fought 3-1 victory — 11-4, 10-12, 11-7, 11-7 — in another 52-minute match.
Strong Showing from Pakistan’s Ashab Irfan
Pakistan’s Muhammad Ashab Irfan also impressed, reaching the semifinals after a dramatic comeback win against India’s Veer Chotrani. Ashab, the eighth seed, rallied from two games down to win 9-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.
His run came to an end in the semis, where he lost to Elsirty 3-1 — 11-5, 11-3, 5-11, 11-2 — in a 44-minute clash.
A Promising Future
With his Nash Cup 2025 triumph, Noor Zaman continues to cement his status as one of Pakistan’s brightest squash prospects, following in the footsteps of the country’s legendary squash champions.
