Only Passion, Hardwork Can Revive Squash's Lost Glory: Jahangir Khan

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Dec, 2018 ) :The former squash legends on Sunday underlined the need to inject passion among aspirant players to achieve the lost glory of the game, once only dominated by Pakistan.

Talking to APP, former World No. 1 legand Jahangir Khan said professional commitment and hardwork were the key components to achieve the desired goals.

Jahangir, who won World Open, six times and British Open a record 10 times, said, he used to go through 8 to 10 hours hectic exercise daily without any trainer or coach and this commitment made him the greatest player of all times.

He regretted that today players were lacking the passion that is why they don't give more time to their fitness, only force to meet and compete international standards.

Jahangir, who remained unbeaten from 1981 to 1986, said fitness discipline and consistency were the virtues that young players must adopt and only those players who show professional commitment be picked for national and international contests.

Former Squash player Qamar Zaman, who won the British Open in 1975, said in their era they won every small and big title for the country without professional trainers just because they had the determination and hunger for the game.

Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) was providing all-out facilities to the players but in response no appreciable achievements the players have in their credit, he said.

Qamar said, "There, are ten coaches in Peshawar to train players but still our players are not physically and mentally fit to compete and compare against international players.

He also urged PSF to widen the scale of hunting more talenetd players and build squash courts in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Bannu.

Former legend Jansher Khan, who during his career won the World Open a record eight times and the British Open six times, said players remain on sleeping bed for late bours in the morning and go for the training in the afternoon which was totally a non-professional approach.

"They must wake up early in the morning for training and give due time to squash courtsto reach our legacy" he suggested.

The players' consistency in hard work, love for the game and thrust to win laurels for the country were the major elements which can help revive the Squash's glory in country, he concluded.