30-Dec-05: HASHIM: Reviving Pakistan's Lost Glory Exclusive SquashSite interview by Rahmatullah Khan
Squash legend and seven time British Open champion  Hashim Khan has underlined the need for proper training for young talent as necessary for the revival of the lost glory of Pakistan on the international squash circuit.    Youngsters Lagging Behind Talking to SquashSite.co.uk, he said he believed that presently most of the young players were lagging behind in technical skill and using modern technology- a prerequisite for bringing laurels to the country. "Squash is a difficult and costly game compared to other sports in Pakistan and is out of the reach of common poor people," the legendary player said. "Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) is busy in providing all kinds of facilities to the players, but all these efforts are proving fruitless."   "In my era the rubber-made balls were hard while the courts were wide and the players would have to play an aggressive game against their rivals. "We were required to practice for eight hours a day while the players of today who I have watched hardly stay on court for one hour." Techniques for Progress He attributed to the lack of fitness and techniques, a proof that they are not fully committed to the sport.   The legendary pointed out four techniques as prerequisites for a Squash player who wanted to be a World Champion - fitness, footwork, attention and use of the mind. He urged the young players to give maximum time to Squash and try to adopt the qualities required for the revival of the lost glory of the country.   "I clinched the British Open seven times, which was later on maintained by great sons of the soil like Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan. It is still not impossible for youngsters to follow the footprints of national heroes like Jahangir and Jansher Khan, but it will require hard work."   When asked about the performance of Pakistan Squash Federation, Hashim appreciated the encouragement of new talent from the grass roots level and the construction of glass courts across the country, saying "it is a step in right direction". If I were young ... On the future, Hashim concluded: "Squash is much faster nowadays, and time is going so fast with the pace changing the game, like mankind. "If I were a young player I would  teach the players how to play Squash."
Hashim Khan was born to a poor family in Naway Kalli in 1923 and became a champion who changed the sport of squash. Hashim's excellence on court gave him a passport to embark on an eight decade journey crossing economic, geographic and generational boundaries and transcending social, cultural and religious bias. His rise to dominance in squash coincided with Pakistan's independence in 1947. When he won his first British Open title in 1951 it was a first for the country in any sport, and he went on to win titles in eight consecutive titles.