Mansoor Zaman Records Major Tour Triumph In Kolkata

Pakistan's Mansoor Zaman claimed one of the most important triumphs of his career when he upset second-seeded Asian rival Ong Beng Hee in the final of the Kolkata International in India to win the 3-star PSA Tour squash event at the Calcutta Rackets Club in Kolkata.

It was the pair's 13th senior clash since contesting the Asian Junior Championships final in Beng Hee's home country Malaysia in 1999 - with the Malaysian boasting a 9-3 head-to-head advantage before their first confrontation on Indian soil.

Furthermore, Zaman is currently languishing at 35 in the world rankings - his lowest position since reaching a career-high world No11 in May 2003.

But the 27-year-old left-hander from Peshawar - son of the former Pakistani great Qamar Zaman - was in inspired form in the former city of Calcutta. Seeded five, Zaman overcame cousin and former Pakistan number one Shahid Zaman in the quarter-finals before upsetting Egypt's rising star Omar Mosaad, the No3 seed, in the semis.

Zaman raced to a two-game lead over Ong Beng Hee, ranked 18 in the world, in the Kolkata final. Though the Malaysian came back to take the third game, Zaman stick to his game-plan and went on to win 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8 in 54 minutes.

It was not only Zaman's first ever PSA Tour win over Beng Hee, but his first title win from such a low seeding for more than six years. The win takes his Tour title tally to six.

"This is a big occasion winning this tournament," Zaman told www.squashsite.co.uk . "Perhaps I am in the best form of my career. At the moment my prime target is to break into top 10 and probably I will reach there by the year end.

"My next target is the British Open. A few great Pakistani players have their names in the honour list there and I want to emulate them."

Final:
[5] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) bt [2] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 11-8 (54m)