Hamza Khan to receive Rs10m for Squash title

ISLAMABAD: Hamza Khan, who attained the World Junior Squash title in Australia last week, is set to receive a cash prize of Rs10 million.

A formal ceremony has been scheduled at the Prime Minister’s House on August 2, where Shehbaz Sharif will present the cash award to the 17-year-old world champion.

The event will honour the young player for his efforts in elevating the country’s name on the international stage. The ceremony is expected to be attended by distinguished dignitaries, sports enthusiasts, and media personnel who will acknowledge Hamza’s exemplary achievement.

Hamza clinched the title after defeating Mohamed Zakria from Egypt 3-1 in the finals of this year’s World Junior Squash Championship hosted in Melbourne, Australia. He was trained under the Army Sports Directorate for over two months before the tournament.

Hamza belongs to Nawa Killi village in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has produced some of the legends of squash, a game Pakistan once dominated on the global stage.

This historic victory marked the end of a 37 years long dry spell for Pakistan in the game. The last time the country brought the title home was with Jansher Khan’s 1986 triumph. Since then, only two Pakistanis have managed to make it to the finals, the last in 2008.

Read next: Pakistan Street Child Football squad named for Norway Cup