Pakistan produced a dramatic comeback against Hong Kong to reach the men’s team squash final at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, keeping their gold-medal hopes alive after a tense 2-1 semifinal victory.
The Pakistani trio of Noor Zaman, Muhammad Ashab Irfan and Nasir Iqbal battled through a closely contested tie at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena on Thursday. Pakistan had to recover after losing the opening match before winning the next two to secure their place in the final.
Noor Zaman faced Hong Kong’s Lau Tsz Kwan in the opening match. After taking the first game 12-10, Noor was unable to maintain his advantage as his opponent fought back to win the next three games 11-3, 11-6 and 11-5.
With Pakistan under pressure, Ashab Irfan stepped up in the second match. He delivered a commanding performance against Leung Chi Hin Henry, winning three consecutive games 11-5, 13-11 and 11-7 in just 23 minutes to bring the semifinal level.
The deciding match then produced another turnaround. Nasir Iqbal lost the opening game 12-10 to Lai Chuk Nam but responded strongly, winning the next three games 11-3, 11-9 and 14-12.
His comeback sealed the 2-1 victory and sent Pakistan into the gold-medal match.
The result guarantees Pakistan at least a silver medal in the men’s team event, while the team will now have a chance to add gold to the two bronze medals won by Noor Zaman and Ashab Irfan in the men’s singles competition earlier in the Games.
Pakistan will face either India or Malaysia in Friday’s final. The team will be aiming to finish its campaign with a gold medal after overcoming a difficult start against Hong Kong.
The victory also adds to Pakistan’s strong squash showing at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, with the men’s team recovering from its semifinal setback in impressive fashion and moving one step closer to the top of the podium.
