Sharif Khan
Encyclopedia
Sharif Khan is a retired professional squash
player. He is widely considered to be one of the all-time great players of hardball squash
(a North America
n variant of squash played with a faster-moving ball and on slightly smaller courts than the international "softball" squash game). He was the dominant player on the hardball squash circuit throughout the 1970s. Sharif was born in Pakistan
, and is the son of the legendary squash player Hashim Khan
(who dominated the international squash game in the 1950s).
Sharif is the eldest of Hashim Khan's 12 children. At the age of 11, he was awarded a squash scholarship at Millfield School
in Somerset
, England
. Despite having almost no knowledge of the English language when he arrived, he performed well academically also developed into an outstanding squash player who, by 1962, had won every public school title open to him including the public schools under-15 championship (three times), the public schools under-16 championship, the Evans Cup, and the Drysdale Cup (considered at the time to be the unofficial world junior championship). At the age of 13 he also captured the Somerset County Men's A title. In the two years after he left Millfield, Sharif won the West of England title, the East of England title, the Surrey Open and the Scottish Amateur title. In 1970, he reached the semi-finals of the British Open
(which was considered to be the effective world championship of the sport at the time).
Khan's greatest achievements came on the North American hardball squash circuit. He settled in Canada
in 1968, and came to dominate the professional hardball squash circuit for well over a decade. He captured every major North American hardball title, and won the North American Open
(the most prestigious hardball title at the time) a record 12 times in 13 years between 1969 and 1981 (he reached the final 15 consecutive times between 1968 and 1982). He also won the US Professional Championships
nine times in ten years between 1970 and 1979.
In winning his final North American open title in 1981, Sharif beat his younger brother Aziz Khan in the final. Three other brothers, Gulmast, Liaqat Ali ("Charlie"), and Salim ("Sam"), also competed in top-level hardball squash.
Since retiring from top-level competition, Khan has remained actively involved in coaching and promoting squash, and has continued to play in veterans' events.
In 2004, Khan became the first non-US citizen to be inducted into to the United States Squash Racquets Association
Hall of Fame.
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
player. He is widely considered to be one of the all-time great players of hardball squash
Hardball squash
Hardball squash is a format of the indoor racquet sport squash which was first developed in North America in the late 19h century and early 20th century. It is sometimes referred to as being the "American version" of the sport...
(a North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n variant of squash played with a faster-moving ball and on slightly smaller courts than the international "softball" squash game). He was the dominant player on the hardball squash circuit throughout the 1970s. Sharif was born in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and is the son of the legendary squash player Hashim Khan
Hashim Khan
Hashim Khan is a former squash player from Pakistan. He won the British Open seven times between 1951 and 1958.Hashim Khan was born in Nawakille , a small village near Peshawar, in British India to an ethnic Pashtun family. The year of his birth is usually reported as 1916, though this has been...
(who dominated the international squash game in the 1950s).
Sharif is the eldest of Hashim Khan's 12 children. At the age of 11, he was awarded a squash scholarship at Millfield School
Millfield
Millfield is an independent school in Street in Somerset, in south-west England.The school currently has a roll of 1,260 pupils, of whom 910 are boarders...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Despite having almost no knowledge of the English language when he arrived, he performed well academically also developed into an outstanding squash player who, by 1962, had won every public school title open to him including the public schools under-15 championship (three times), the public schools under-16 championship, the Evans Cup, and the Drysdale Cup (considered at the time to be the unofficial world junior championship). At the age of 13 he also captured the Somerset County Men's A title. In the two years after he left Millfield, Sharif won the West of England title, the East of England title, the Surrey Open and the Scottish Amateur title. In 1970, he reached the semi-finals of the British Open
British Open Squash Championships
The British Open Squash Championships is the oldest and most established tournament in the game of squash. It is widely considered to be one of the two most prestigious tournaments in the game, alongside the World Open The British...
(which was considered to be the effective world championship of the sport at the time).
Khan's greatest achievements came on the North American hardball squash circuit. He settled in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1968, and came to dominate the professional hardball squash circuit for well over a decade. He captured every major North American hardball title, and won the North American Open
United States Open (squash)
The United States Open squash championships is an annual squash tournament sponsored by U.S. Squash. The championship was inaugurated in 1954 as an opportunity for professionals and amateurs to compete against each other...
(the most prestigious hardball title at the time) a record 12 times in 13 years between 1969 and 1981 (he reached the final 15 consecutive times between 1968 and 1982). He also won the US Professional Championships
Tournament of Champions (squash)
The Tournament of Champions is an annual international squash championship held in New York City. In recent years, the event has been held at New York's Grand Central Terminal, in a specially-constructed four-walled glass court in the Vanderbilt Hall....
nine times in ten years between 1970 and 1979.
In winning his final North American open title in 1981, Sharif beat his younger brother Aziz Khan in the final. Three other brothers, Gulmast, Liaqat Ali ("Charlie"), and Salim ("Sam"), also competed in top-level hardball squash.
Since retiring from top-level competition, Khan has remained actively involved in coaching and promoting squash, and has continued to play in veterans' events.
In 2004, Khan became the first non-US citizen to be inducted into to the United States Squash Racquets Association
U.S. Squash
U.S. Squash is the national governing body for the sport of squash in the United States. U.S. Squash was previously known as the United States Squash Racquets Association . The organization is headquartered in New York City and is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee. U.S. Squash owns and...
Hall of Fame.