India made history by winning its maiden World Cup title in squash in the event held in Chennai at the Express Avenue Mall. It was the moment that squash lovers were waiting for and finally a quarter century after the Indian Squash Academy (ISA) came to the southern metropolis, a big splash had come about to signal India’s entry into the elite band of world cup winners. Australia, Egypt and England were the only countries which had won this coveted title earlier. What made the performance in this SDAT World Cup event even more outstanding was that India did not lose even a single tie in this competition involving 12 teams and finished it off in style downing the top seed Hong Kong (China) again by a spectacular 3-0 margin. Earlier to that in the semi-final, India had downed Egypt considered the numero uno in squash and that too on a facile note. Not just that, but there is more to this grand moment in Indian squash.
This is a mixed team event, comprising two men and two women players, each playing singles. Of the four in the Indian team, Joshna Chinappa, Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar hail from Chennai and what is more were groomed at the ISA. The fourth is Anahat Singh, the 17-year-old national women’s champion from New Delhi and currently the country’s squash sensation. Anahat too is not new to ISA. It was thus the experience and wisdom of Joshna, combining with the youth and drive of Abhay and Velavan along with the brilliance of Anahat that saw this Indian team scale a new peak in the world of excellence in this sport. As the thoroughly happy Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India and former national coach Cyrus Poncha was to say “ it is an absolutely outstanding achievement. It cannot really be compared with anything before, because this is the first time we are winning a WSF team championship event, whether men, women or mixed team, junior or senior. This is the only time we have won it, our best performance earlier was a bronze in the junior and fifth place in the senior. A very special occasion indeed and since this was achieved at home made it even more special.”
For Chennaites certainly it was a squash mela, and more so since this was held not at a conventional venue but a Mall. This is not the first time that the organisers had brought a major tournament to a shopping area nor will it be the last considering what a hit this has become. Indeed, that is the beauty of this sport. Squash can be played within a club premise but also if required on the beach sands or just in the midst of traffic at a key junction or virtually anywhere. Portable court is the key. In a bid to bring the sport to the general public, this move to organise it in a Mall certainly made many shoppers join the regular fans to get engrossed in the excitement of the competition. It was in such a setting that Joshna had won her Asian championship title eight years ago. A veteran now, still full of beans, never short of her known skills, stamina and hunger for excellence, Joshna it was who proved the inspiration for the team.
Fittingly in the final, she laid the winning path, and the rest completed the job much to the cheers and excitement of the packed corridors of the Mall.
At the turn of the millennium, when the ISA became a reality thanks to the visionary zeal of N Ramachandran, the then Secretary-General of SRFI and more importantly a leading industrialist, the aim of the national body was to raise a facility where a ‘planned growth’ could be the theme. Seasons later, results began to flow with national champions in various age groups trooping out. Success then came at the Asian level and it has now touched the World level and India is now recognised as a force in the sport of squash. Happy tidings all. With the next Asian Games in 2026 in Japan and thereafter the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics where squash is to make its debut, there is much to look forward to. For now, let’s savour the happy moments that this proud bunch of players have provided.