KARACHI: Top-level squash will return to Pakistan next month for the first time in more than two decades as the country prepares to host a PSA World Tour Gold event featuring several of top squash players.
The Karachi Open, to be held from Jan. 6–11 at the DA Creek Club, carries a total prize purse of around $243,000, offering $121,500 prize money each for men and women, making it the richest squash tournament in Pakistan since the 2003 World Open in Lahore, where $175,000 was awarded. The event is the fourth Gold tournament of the 2025–26 PSA season.
The tournament marks a major step in Pakistan’s effort to reclaim a place on the international squash map, decades after producing global icons such as Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan. Years of security concerns and reduced international engagement left the country without top professional squash events for years.
Five of the world’s top 10 male players have confirmed their participation in Karachi, led by former world champion and current World No. 5 Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt, who enters as the top seed. Gawad has won twice before in Pakistan — the 2018 Pakistan Open and the 2022 Karachi Open and carries an eight-match unbeaten streak in the city.
World No. 7 Marwan ElShorbagy is seeded second, while World No. 6 Youssef Ibrahim is seeded third. Former World No. 1 Mohamed ElShorbagy, now representing England, is the fourth seed, with Egyptian World No. 10 Youssef Soliman rounding out the top five. World No. 11 Mohamed Zakaria enters as the sixth seed.
Pakistan’s contingent includes World U23 Champion Noor Zaman, along with Muhammad Ashab Irfan, Tayyab Aslam, and Nasir Iqbal, all receiving spots in the main draw. The women’s draw features three of the world’s top 10 players. Egypt’s Amina Orfi, ranked No. 3 and the reigning World Junior Champion, leads the draw as top seed after reaching five finals in six events this season.
Malaysia’s World No. 6 Sivasangari Subramaniam is seeded second, while World No. 9 Fayrouz Aboelkheir of Egypt enters as third seed. Wild cards have been awarded to Pakistan’s Sana Bahadar and Mariam Malik.
The Karachi Open is the latest step in Pakistan’s push to revive its squash heritage. Earlier this year, the same venue hosted the World U23 Championships, which carried prize money of $60,000, signaling growing willingness from international players and the PSA to return to the country.
