Roshan Khan
Encyclopedia
Roshan Khan was a squash
player from Pakistan
. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1950s and early-1960s, and won the British Open
title in 1957. His son Jahangir Khan
became the world's leading squash player in the 1980s (and arguably the greatest player of all time).
Roshan is sometimes referred to as being the "cousin" of the two other leading Pakistani players of his time – the brothers Hashim Khan
and Azam Khan
– though he was not in fact a first cousin of the brothers, but more distantly related to them. He was also connected to them by marriage – Roshan's brother-in-law married a sister of Hashim and Azam's.
In 1949, Roshan finished runner-up to Hashim at the inaugural Pakistan Open. He went on to win that title three consecutive times between 1951 and 1953.
In 1956, Roshan faced Hashim in the final of the British Open (which was considered to be the effective world championship of the sport at the time), with Hashim winning 9-4, 9-2, 5-9, 9-5. The following year the pair met again in the British Open final, and this time Roshan won 6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-1 to end Hashim's six-year reign as champion. Roshan made a third British Open final appearance in 1960, when he lost to Azam 9-1, 9-0, 9-0.
Roshan also won the US Open
three times and the Canadian Open twice.
Roshan had two sons – Torsam Khan
and Jahangir Khan
– both of whom were groomed by Roshan to become top international squash players. Torsam reached a career-high ranking on World No. 13 in 1979, when he died of a heart attack
while playing a tournament match in Australia
at the age of 27. In the wake of Torsam's death, Jahangir considered quitting the game, but instead decided to pursue a career in the sport as a tribute to his brother. He went on to achieve unprecedented heights within the game – capturing ten British Open titles, six World Open titles, and enjoying a five-year unbeaten run which stretched to over 500 matches.
Roshan Khan died on 6 January 2006 in Karachi
.
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 from 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...
. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1950s and early-1960s, and won 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...
title in 1957. His son Jahangir Khan
Jahangir Khan
Jahangir Khan, HI, is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times...
became the world's leading squash player in the 1980s (and arguably the greatest player of all time).
Roshan is sometimes referred to as being the "cousin" of the two other leading Pakistani players of his time – the brothers 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...
and Azam Khan
Azam Khan (squash player)
Azam Khan is a former squash player from Pakistan who won the British Open four times between 1959 and 1962.Azam was introduced to squash by his older brother, Hashim Khan, who was also one of the world's top squash players in his time. After winning the British Open in 1951, Hashim recruited Azam...
– though he was not in fact a first cousin of the brothers, but more distantly related to them. He was also connected to them by marriage – Roshan's brother-in-law married a sister of Hashim and Azam's.
In 1949, Roshan finished runner-up to Hashim at the inaugural Pakistan Open. He went on to win that title three consecutive times between 1951 and 1953.
In 1956, Roshan faced Hashim in the final of the British Open (which was considered to be the effective world championship of the sport at the time), with Hashim winning 9-4, 9-2, 5-9, 9-5. The following year the pair met again in the British Open final, and this time Roshan won 6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-1 to end Hashim's six-year reign as champion. Roshan made a third British Open final appearance in 1960, when he lost to Azam 9-1, 9-0, 9-0.
Roshan also won the US 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...
three times and the Canadian Open twice.
Roshan had two sons – Torsam Khan
Torsam Khan
Torsam Khan was a squash player from Pakistan. He was the son of the 1957 British Open champion Roshan Khan, and the older brother of Jahangir Khan, who went on to become arguably the greatest squash player of all-time. Torsam was groomed as a squash player by his father. In 1979, Torsam reached a...
and Jahangir Khan
Jahangir Khan
Jahangir Khan, HI, is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times...
– both of whom were groomed by Roshan to become top international squash players. Torsam reached a career-high ranking on World No. 13 in 1979, when he died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
while playing a tournament match in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the age of 27. In the wake of Torsam's death, Jahangir considered quitting the game, but instead decided to pursue a career in the sport as a tribute to his brother. He went on to achieve unprecedented heights within the game – capturing ten British Open titles, six World Open titles, and enjoying a five-year unbeaten run which stretched to over 500 matches.
Roshan Khan died on 6 January 2006 in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
.
British Open final appearances
| Wins (1) | ||
| Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1957 | 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... |
6-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-1 |
| Runner-ups (2) | ||
| Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1956 | 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... |
9-4, 9-2, 5-9, 9-5 |
| 1960 | Azam Khan Azam Khan (squash player) Azam Khan is a former squash player from Pakistan who won the British Open four times between 1959 and 1962.Azam was introduced to squash by his older brother, Hashim Khan, who was also one of the world's top squash players in his time. After winning the British Open in 1951, Hashim recruited Azam... |
9-1, 9-0, 9-0 |