Pakistan’s Noor Zaman produced the biggest win of his career on Wednesday, stunning defending champion and world No. 4 Karim Abdel Gawad 3-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the PSA Gold Silicon Valley Open in California. The 22-year-old sealed the upset in 52 minutes at the Squash Zone in Redwood City, taking the match 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6.
Noor, the second seed’s conqueror, raced into a two-game lead before Gawad, the Egyptian star, fought back to claim the third. The Pakistani held his nerve in the fourth to knock the defending champion out of the $143,500 men’s event.
“I was ready mentally and physically today, and I think now is the time for me to beat the top players,” Noor said after the match.
Noor Zaman’s Silicon Valley Open run carries family legacy
The Peshawar-born player comes from one of squash’s great families. He is the grandson of former world champion Qamar Zaman, one of the giants of Pakistani squash, and he arrived in California as the reigning 2025 U-23 world champion. Ranked among the world’s top 35 players, he has collected five PSA titles during a rapid rise in recent months that has seen him climb into the world’s top 30.
For Pakistani fans, the win is another sign of the country’s quiet squash revival. Pakistan dominated the sport in the 1980s and 1990s through Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, and Noor’s victory over a reigning world No. 4 is the sort of result that recalls that golden era. With squash set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, his timing could hardly be better.
Noor had earlier booked his place in the last 16 with a 3-1 victory over American wildcard Bransten Ming. After dropping the opening game 3-11, he fought back to win 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 in 41 minutes.
What comes next for Noor Zaman
The reward for the biggest win of his career is a quarter-final against fifth seed Mohamed ElShorbagy. The Egyptian ended Pakistani interest on another front when he beat Pakistan’s Mohammad Ashab Irfan 3-0 in the last 16, winning 11-3, 13-11, 11-7 in 35 minutes, according to the official PSA Squash Tour live blog.
Irfan had reached the round of 16 with a commanding straight-games victory over Hungary’s Balazs Farkas, winning 11-6, 11-4, 11-5. His run ended against one of the tour’s most experienced campaigners.
The Silicon Valley Open is a PSA World Tour Gold event offering equal prize money for men and women, with the semi-finals scheduled for October 23 and the final on October 24.
Who did Noor Zaman beat at the Silicon Valley Open?
Noor Zaman beat defending champion and world No. 4 Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt 3-1 (11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6) in 52 minutes.
Who does Noor Zaman play next?
He faces Mohamed ElShorbagy, the fifth seed, in the quarter-final. The semi-finals are set for October 23, with the final on October 24.
How many PSA titles has Noor Zaman won?
Noor Zaman has won five PSA titles and is the reigning 2025 U-23 world champion. He is the grandson of former world champion Qamar Zaman.
