Noor Zaman knocks out defending champion Gawad to reach Silicon Valley Open quarter-finals
The 22-year-old defeated Egypt’s world No. 4 and second seed 3-1 at Squash Zone in Redwood City
Zaid Hassan
Producer
Zaid Hassan, a seasoned sports journalist, led Cricket Pakistan as editor for four years, shaping its coverage with insightful analysis. Now a producer at Nukta, he expands into broader storytelling while remaining a key voice in Pakistan’s sports media.
Noor Zaman in action against Hong Kong’s Chi Hin Henry Leung's in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games 2026 at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.
POA
Pakistan’s Noor Zaman produced an impressive performance to eliminate defending champion Karim Abdel Gawad and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the PSA Gold Silicon Valley Open in California on Wednesday.
How did Noor overcome the Egyptian favourite?
The 22-year-old defeated Egypt’s world No. 4 and second seed 3-1 at Squash Zone in Redwood City, winning 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in 52 minutes.
Zaman controlled the opening two games before Gawad responded in the third. However, the Pakistani recovered to close out the match and deliver a major upset in the $143,500 men’s competition.
What has powered Noor’s recent rise?
The Peshawar-born squash player had earlier defeated American wildcard Bransten Ming 3-1 in the opening round. After dropping the first game 3-11, he rallied to win the next three 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 in 41 minutes.
The grandson of former world champion Qamar Zaman and 2025 U-23 world champion has enjoyed a productive season, rising into the world’s top 30 and winning five PSA titles.
How did Pakistan’s other player fare?
Mohammad Ashab Irfan exited the tournament after losing 3-0 to fifth seed Mohamed ElShorbagy. Irfan had opened with a straight-games victory over Hungary’s Balazs Farkas.
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