KARACHI (Dunya News) - Pakistan’s World Under-23 squash champion Noor Zaman secured third place in the men’s individual event at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating compatriot Muhammad Asif Irfan 3-0 in the classification match.
The all-Pakistan playoff was held to determine the third and fourth positions after both Pakistani players were beaten in their respective semi-finals at the 20th Asian Games in Japan.
Noor Zaman, 22, produced a composed performance against world No. 49 Asif Irfan to claim the bronze-medal position. The Pakistani squash player, currently ranked 29th in the world according to the information provided, controlled the contest despite a strong challenge from his compatriot.
Noor won the opening two games by identical scores of 11-7, putting himself in a commanding position. Asif Irfan attempted to fight back in the third game and pushed his opponent through a closely contested exchange.
However, Noor maintained his composure and eventually secured the third game 13-11, completing a 3-0 victory and confirming his third-place finish.
The result means Pakistan secured both the third and fourth positions through its two representatives in the individual competition, with Asif Irfan finishing fourth after the classification match.
Noor Zaman comes from a prominent Pakistani squash family. He is the grandson of former world champion Qamar Zaman, and has emerged as one of Pakistan’s leading young squash players. His Under-23 world championship success had already established him as one of the country’s promising players on the international circuit.
The classification match was particularly significant because both players had already been assured of bronze medals following their semi-final defeats. The contest nevertheless determined their final individual rankings in the tournament.
Earlier, Noor Zaman faced Malaysia’s 28-year-old world No. 18 Eain Yow Ng in the semi-final, while Asif Irfan met India’s world No. 16 Abhay Singh.
Noor’s defeat to the Malaysian player ended his hopes of reaching the gold-medal match, while Asif Irfan was unable to overcome Abhay Singh in the other semi-final.
The Asian Games squash competition also carries significance beyond the medals, with performances contributing to international rankings and potentially influencing seeding for major future competitions.
For Pakistan, the performance of Noor Zaman and Asif Irfan provides another notable result in a sport that has historically produced international success for the country.
Pakistan has a long association with squash, having produced several world-class players over the decades. The emergence of younger players such as Noor Zaman is being closely followed as the country seeks to maintain its presence at the highest level of international squash.
Noor’s third-place finish in Japan adds another achievement to his developing international career, while the fourth-place finish of Asif Irfan also ensured Pakistan had two players among the top four in the individual competition.
The result also sets the stage for both players to build on their Asian Games performances as they continue competing on the international squash circuit.Tags