Azam Khan Squash Player

Azam Khan (20 April 1926 – 28 March 2020) was a distinguished Pakistani squash player and one of the most influential figures in the sport’s formative decades. Renowned for his masterful shot-making, strategic intelligence and disciplined temperament, he dominated the British Open Squash Championships for four consecutive years from 1959 to 1962. His career unfolded within a wider family legacy that shaped the global squash landscape for generations, contributing significantly to Pakistan’s emergence as a powerhouse in the sport.

Early Life and Family Background

Born into a Pashtun family in the village of Nawakville near Peshawar in 1926, Azam Khan grew up in an environment where athletic discipline and respect for family traditions were strongly valued. Initially, he worked as a tennis coach at an officers’ club of the Pakistan Air Force, demonstrating early talent for racquet sports. His career trajectory shifted dramatically when his elder brother, Hashim Khan—eleven years his senior and a future seven-time British Open champion—encouraged him to transition from tennis to squash.
Azam proved an exceptionally swift learner. Within six months he had risen to become the second-best squash player in Pakistan, sitting just behind Hashim. His technical finesse, rapid adaptability and analytical court sense soon became hallmarks of his playing style. By 1956 both brothers had relocated to London, where squash’s wooden court surfaces differed significantly from the concrete courts familiar in Pakistan. Azam adjusted with surprising ease, solidifying his reputation for tactical versatility.
The Khan family’s connections to squash extended far beyond the brothers themselves. Azam was the second cousin of Roshan Khan and Nasrullah Khan, both of whom played major roles in Pakistani squash. Their sons—including Torsam Khan, Rehmat Khan and the legendary Jahangir Khan—continued the family’s dominance into subsequent generations. Azam was also an uncle to noted players Sharif Khan and Aziz Khan. Additionally, his granddaughter Carla Khan pursued a professional squash career, extending the family legacy.

Professional Career and Competitive Achievements

Widely regarded as one of the world’s finest shot-makers, Azam Khan brought a blend of precision, controlled aggression and strategic foresight to the court. His period of ascendancy from 1959 to 1962 included four consecutive British Open titles, a prestigious achievement often compared to a world championship during that era. Contemporary observers frequently emphasised his calculated style and calm demeanour, noting the respect he consistently showed towards his elder brother and mentor, Hashim. Azam was known to avoid overshadowing him in direct encounters, a reflection of deeply rooted cultural values concerning family hierarchy.
Azam’s playing career was characterised by exceptional determination and physical resilience. However, in 1962 he suffered a torn tendon during a match, an injury that undermined his mobility and competitive capacity. The loss of his fourteen-year-old son the following year, from serious chest and brain ailments, further diminished his desire to remain in active competition. These personal tragedies, coupled with ongoing concerns about injury, prompted his retirement in the same year.

Reputation, Legacy and Professional Esteem

Azam Khan’s reputation extended far beyond his competitive record. His peers often described him as one of the most naturally gifted tacticians in squash history. Sports Illustrated famously remarked on the tactical perceptiveness within the Khan family, commenting that it was unwise for “a Khan to try to outfox a Khan”, a testament to the brothers’ strategic mastery.
Accounts of Azam’s formidable skill persisted well after his retirement. In 1967, six-time British Open champion Jonah Barrington recounted practice sessions arranged by his coach, Nasrullah Khan, in which he managed only a single point in three games against Azam—then aged forty-eight and long removed from professional play. Barrington repeated the session the following day with the same result. Remarkably, only three weeks later, he secured the first of his six British Open titles. These experiences bolstered the view that Azam, had circumstances been different, might have surpassed even the greatest players of the sport’s golden era.
Analysts and writers have continued to reflect on Azam’s place in squash history. Commentators such as Ejaz Choudhry have suggested that his combination of natural ability, tactical depth and athletic poise could have positioned him as the greatest player of all time had he not restricted his competitive intensity out of respect for his brother and later withdrawn due to personal grief and injury. In later years Azam acknowledged that the first time he defeated Hashim had been done with Hashim’s consent, in accordance with Pashtun cultural principles of respect for elders.

Later Life and Death

Azam Khan settled permanently in London, where he remained active within squash circles and maintained close ties with his extended sporting family. His wife predeceased him, and he continued to mourn the earlier loss of his son, a defining event in his personal life. He was survived by eight children.
Azam died on 28 March 2020 at the age of ninety-three after contracting COVID-19 during the early months of the global pandemic. His passing was widely reported across the international squash community, prompting renewed recognition of his contributions to the sport.