Interviewed and Submitted by Donna Wilson
Squash Development Officer, Central NZ Squash
Born? 20th July 1979-Abbottabad, Pakistan
Zodiac Sign? Cancer
Best World Ranking? 40
How would you describe yourself?
Quiet but social, relaxed but efficient.
How do you think others would describe you?
Not sure.
Which person has had the most influence on your squash career and why?
I think I might have been influenced by a lot of people over the years but in recent years Amr Shabana has been an inspiration to me. We played in the juniors together and started our professional careers at the same time. The way he has made it to the top is quite inspirational and influenced me a lot to start playing the circuit again.
What would be your proudest/most memorable moment?
I think the most memorable moment would be walking in the stadium in Malaysia in front of 80,000 people at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. The atmosphere was magical! Playing the World Team Champs for New Zealand in Pakistan in 2005 was a dream come true for me and probably the proudest moment.
Describe a situation during your career that was particularly funny or embarrassing:
I cant remember anything embarrassing as such but it was quite funny when we took a lot of well planned photos at an outing in Cairo to many historic places, only to find out at the end of the day that there was no film in the camera.
What are your goals and what motivates you?
My ultimate goal is to win a major title and make it to the top. This desire to excel motivates me.
Have you suffered a bad injury, and if so, how did you overcome the physical and mental aspects of getting back to the top again?
Never had a major injury but many small ones. Its really hard recovering from an injury, physically as well as mentally and injury prevention is always on my mind.
What match recovery methods did/do you use?
I rest a lot, take good care of rehydration and food intake. Massages really help after tough matches as well.
How would you describe the NZ squash regime from a player’s point of view?
I feel Squash NZ tries hard to help the players at all levels. There is always room for improvement and funding is always limited in Squash but having the right people helps a lot. Overall, I think Squash NZ is doing a good job and wanting to improve even more.
Do you think NZ are currently “up there” with the rest of the world?
I think New Zealand is quite good at sports keeping in mind the small population and distance from other countries. It just costs more to travel everywhere. The players are young and with the right attitude they will surely bring results. I think the clubs and districts play a very important part in the progression on Squash. Every little thing and every tournament and prize money offered helps. The credit goes to the volunteers and helpers at the club who put in a lot of effort and Squash benefits because of them.
What would you change if you held the reins?
I would definitely look for corporate sponsorship and market the players more instead of just depending on government funding. I would also make sure the training is much more squash specific and relevant.
How do players on the world circuit survive if they don’t have National backup?
Its really hard for players to survive without funding from National bodies. Sometimes, it helps motivate them and the need for survival makes them improve faster. Mostly players would play leagues in Europe or find a part time coaching job.
Who, if anyone, is your favourite coach? Why?
All the coaches have something different to offer and are specialists in different areas. There have been a lot of coaches who have helped me and I dont have any favourites. If I had one, they would certainly be the ones who are committed to the player and work with the player as a team.
What’s your opinion on the state of refereeing, both nationally and internationally?
I think the NZ referees are one of the best in the world. They are committed and always wiling to improve and updates themselves. Internationally the referees are different in various countries and certainly better in countries here Squash is played more.
What turns you on, creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
I find a nice and humble personality quite attractive, regardless of a person’s looks, success or wealth.
What turns you off? Who, or what type of person turns you off?
I guess the normal things would put me off and I wouldnt like rude, arrogant or impolite people.
Do you think squash is on the decline? – Why/Why not?
I think it depends on the place. In Europe, its not going great but in the US its booming. In New Zealand, I think Squash is definitely recovering from its lowest point and doing alright. We need some big results by the top players to get people’s attention and capitalise on that.
Life after Squash?
I would like to stay involved with Squash and help it grow. I think I am quite experienced in a lot of aspects of the sport and learnt quite a lot over the years. Lets see how it goes.
Editor's Note: We'd like to express our appreciation to Kashif and to Central Squash for their permission to reproduce this interview.
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