Ashab Irfan reaches maiden PSA World Tour final in Vancouver

KARACHI: Pakistan’s rising squash star Ashab Irfan reached his first-ever PSA World Tour final on Sunday after a stunning victory over England’s second seed Adrian Waller in the semifinals of the Richardson Wealth Men’s Vancouver Open 2025 in Vancouver.

Seeded fourth, the 21-year-old Pakistani produced a spirited display to overcome the experienced Waller 3-2 in a thrilling 68-minute encounter, with game scores of 8-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8.

The triumph marks a major career milestone for Ashab, who—along with compatriot Noor Zaman—continues to make impressive strides on the professional circuit. 

The Richardson Wealth Men’s Open is a PSA World Tour Copper event, featuring a total prize purse of $31,250.

After dropping the first game, Ashab showed remarkable resilience, clawing his way back to level the match before once again falling behind. 

Displaying outstanding composure and control, he stormed through the final two games to secure his spot in the title clash.

In the other semifinal, England’s sixth seed Sam Todd defeated Egypt’s top seed Yahya Elnawasany in another five-game thriller, winning 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 8-11, 11-9 in 80 minutes.

Ashab Irfan will now face Sam Todd in the championship match, with a victory likely to propel the Pakistani into the top 50 of the PSA World Rankings.

Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan’s top players Noor Zaman and Ashab Irfan had advanced to the quarterfinals after impressive Round of 16 victories.

Noor, seeded third, displayed composure and precision to beat Wales’ Owain Taylor 3-1 in 53 minutes, taking the first two games 11-9, 11-9 through well-constructed rallies.

Meanwhile, Ashab battled past Hong Kong’s Matthew Lai in a tense five-game clash, eventually prevailing 3-2 after 71 minutes of gripping play. 

Irfan started strong with an 11-4 win, dropped the next game, regained control in the third (11-7), and edged out a decisive final set after Lai forced a decider.