Bannu teen rises to top of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa junior squash rankings

PESHAWAR: Fourteen-year-old Danish Sikandar, a Class 9 student from Mandan village in Bannu district, has become the top-ranked junior squash player in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the Under-15 category after a rise shaped by limited means, steady progress and support from his coach.

Danish’s connection with squash began in December 2021 after his father, who works for PESCO, was transferred to Peshawar. Coming from Bannu, where he had no access to squash facilities, he was encouraged by a relative, senior coach Tahir Iqbal, to come to the Peshawar Sports Complex.

Speaking about the early days, Danish said he could not even afford basic equipment when he started training. "I had no money to buy even a racket," Danish stated.

"My trainer Tahir Iqbal gave me one. For the first six or seven months, I just sat in the squash court and watched other players before I started playing myself", he stated.

He lost his first match at the Qamar Zaman Squash Complex, but his results improved over time. In 2023, he won the K-P Junior Championship. He later secured the Under-13 title in Karachi and then the Under-15 Championship in 2025.

Costs of competing

Danish said competing at national events, especially in Karachi, remains financially difficult. "A bus ticket costs Rs8,000 one way and accommodation and food are also expensive," he said.

He said official prize money also brings limited support. While winners are entitled to Rs100,000, the amount is divided among players, leaving him with Rs25,000. Those knocked out in the first round receive Rs1,200, which he said discourages many capable players from low-income families.

Danish said he has so far collected two gold, three silver and eight bronze medals. He added that he currently has only two rackets and one of them is broken. His monthly transport expenses on the BRT amount to Rs15,000, while he recently bought a racket for Rs35,000. He said a quality professional racket costs about Rs55,000.

Coach highlights discipline and wider constraints

Coach Tahir Iqbal said Danish’s development reflects not only talent but also discipline and commitment. "We often talk about talent, but punctuality, hard work and the willingness to accept challenges are equally important. Without these, talent is nothing," Iqbal said.

Iqbal said Danish remains highly punctual despite serious financial constraints. To help assess his training and recovery, the coach said he obtained Fitbit smartwatches through friends in the United States. "I was shocked one day to discover that he walked 35,000 steps during a fitness session," the coach said.

"Now I can track his sleep, running, walking and entire daily routine through GPS", he added.

Iqbal also pointed to broader structural problems at the Qamar Zaman Squash Complex. He said there are currently 300 students and only three squash courts, creating overcrowding. He added that, ideally, one court should serve 10 players and each player should have two rackets.

While praising the provincial government’s sports-friendly policies, Iqbal said the province was dealing with economic hardship and lacked support from private organisations and sponsors. "Provincial government is trying to establish sports infrastructure in all the districts of the province which is really encouraging," he added.