Dubai: UAE-based squash player Adil Maqbool hopes the lifting of an international player ban in his native Pakistan will help improve his position in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) world rankings.
World sports bodies banned international players from competing in Pakistan after an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in 2009. But, last month, the PSA became the first organisation to lift the sanction.
During the ban, the PSA limited Pakistan to holding smaller prize-fund (thus point value) tournaments to avoid giving Pakistani players an unfair advantage in the rankings, by virtue of their being no visiting competition.
However, with the ban lifted, international players and bigger prize-fund events are returning to Pakistan, starting with a US$25,000 event in Islamabad in October.
World No.100 Maqbool, 26, said the decision would open up higher point earning possibilities closer to home, giving him the chance to equal or surpass his career record best of World No.66, which he last held in 2009.
“I’m happy with the PSA’s decision to drop the ban,” said Maqbool, who still competed in Pakistan during the ban despite his UAE residency thanks to his Pakistani citizenship. “I’ll definitely play in the October event. It will obviously be tougher now, but we will become better with more exposure and higher points on offer. Hopefully it will prove Pakistan is safe and lead to the return of even bigger tournaments.
“I’ve always travelled to events anywhere in the world no matter where they are, but this being in Pakistan, my home country, and right next door, it’s great. To have higher point-value events closer to home is very welcome and if I qualify, I stand a great chance of getting back to where I was earlier in the rankings.”
Maqbool said the lifting of the ban would also be a welcome relief to Pakistan’s next generation of talent, who have suffered under the sanction.
“This will give them more exposure to international players with different styles of play without them having to travel abroad.”
As an overseas-based player travelling to Pakistan’s events during the ban, and having seen recent conditions, Maqbool vouched for the safety of visiting international players and said he hoped it would prompt other sports to follow squash’s lead.
“The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) took very good care of us and security was never an issue. They were very particular. If they continue to take these steps I don’t foresee any issues. Hopefully they can use squash to show other sports that it’s safe to return.”
