Noor Zaman Stuns Defending Champion to Reach Silicon Valley Open Quarter-Finals
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Pakistan’s rising squash star Noor Zaman produced an impressive performance to defeat defending champion Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the PSA Gold Silicon Valley Open in California.
The 22-year-old defeated world No. 4 Gawad 3-1 on Wednesday at Squash Zone in Redwood City, winning the match 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in 52 minutes. The Egyptian was the second seed in the $143,500 tournament.
Speaking after the victory, Noor said he was mentally and physically prepared for the challenge and believed it was time to compete successfully against the sport’s leading players.
Before facing Gawad, the Pakistani had advanced to the last 16 by overcoming American wildcard Bransten Ming. After dropping the opening game 3-11, Noor responded strongly to win the next three games 11-5, 11-8 and 11-9, completing the contest in 41 minutes.
Born in Peshawar, Noor comes from a prominent squash family. He is the grandson of former world champion Qamar Zaman and won the 2025 World Under-23 Squash Championship. His recent performances have helped him rise into the world’s top 30, while he has also secured five titles on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Mohammad Ashab Irfan exited the competition in the round of 16 after suffering a 3-0 defeat against fifth-seeded Egyptian player Mohamed ElShorbagy.
Irfan had reached that stage with a convincing straight-games victory over Hungary’s Balazs Farkas, winning 11-6, 11-4 and 11-5.
The Silicon Valley Open is a PSA World Tour Gold event offering equal prize money to male and female competitors. The tournament is part of the international squash calendar as the sport prepares for its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Noor’s victory over the defending champion marks a significant achievement for Pakistan squash and gives the young player an opportunity to continue his impressive campaign in California.
