In a showdown that had all the makings of a classic, Pakistan’s men’s doubles duo of Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal put up a spirited fight but narrowly missed out on gold, settling for silver at the Asian Doubles Squash Championship 2025 in Malaysia on Thursday.
The final wasn’t just about medals—it was a high-voltage clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India, and it delivered every bit of drama expected from such a matchup.
A Final to Remember
Facing India’s top-seeded pair, Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar, the Pakistani team started strong, snatching the first game 11-9. The Indian duo, however, bounced back with back-to-back wins (11-5, 11-5), clinching the match 2-1 and successfully defending their title.
The intensity of the final was reflected in its duration—one hour and 27 minutes of high-octane squash, where momentum swung back and forth and every point was fiercely contested.
Road to the Final: A Gritty Run
Zaman and Iqbal’s campaign was nothing short of impressive. Their semifinal victory over hosts Malaysia was a nerve-wracking encounter that stretched to one hour and eight minutes. In that clash, they edged past Syafiq Kamal and Duncan Lee with scores of 10-11, 11-9, 11-9, showing remarkable composure under pressure.
Earlier, in the quarterfinals, they battled past South Korea’s Jiang Min Ryu and Jaijin Yoo in yet another three-set thriller (11-3, 5-11, 11-4).
And in the group stage, the Pakistani pair were clinical. Their 11-minute demolition of Chinese Taipei’s Chi Yu-Wei and Chen Ching-Fu (11-2, 11-9) showcased their authority and confidence. They had already picked up dominant wins over the Philippines (11-7, 11-4) and South Korea, making them worthy finalists in every sense.
Noor Zaman’s Grit: More Than Just Medals
Individually, Noor Zaman’s journey deserves special mention. He had competed earlier in the Asian Individual Squash Championship, where he exited in the pre-quarters against Malaysia’s Joachim Chuah. Battling a painful back spasm, Noor showed resilience, coming back from two games down to level the match, before eventually running out of steam in the decider.
That match may have ended in defeat, but it underscored his fighting spirit—something that was evident throughout this doubles campaign as well.
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