Noor Zaman Draws Kareem El Torkey in Qatar Classic 2026 First Round

Pakistan’s Noor Zaman has been drawn against Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey in the first round of the Qatar Classic 2026, setting up another meeting between the two players with a recent history of closely fought contests.

The QTerminals Qatar Classic 2026 will take place from September 12 to 18 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha. The PSA World Tour Platinum event features a 32-player men’s draw and offers $242,000 in total men’s prize money.

Noor Zaman vs Kareem El Torkey: Qatar Classic 2026

The first-round match will see world No. 21 Kareem El Torkey face world No. 29 Noor Zaman.

The first-round draw has been confirmed by the PSA World Tour, with Zaman set to face El Torkey in Qatar Classic 2026 Doha.

Match Details

Detail	Information
Match	Kareem El Torkey vs Noor Zaman
Round	First Round
Date	September 12, 2026
Time	6:15pm Doha
Pakistan Time	8:15pm
Venue	Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex
City	Doha, Qatar
Tournament	Qatar Classic 2026
Level	PSA World Tour Platinum
Men’s Draw	32 players
Men’s Prize Money	$242,000

Noor Zaman vs Kareem El Torkey Head-to-Head

The Qatar Classic clash adds another chapter to the growing rivalry between Zaman and El Torkey.

Based on the PSA match record supplied for their previous meeting, Zaman holds a 1-0 lead in the listed head-to-head.

Player	Kareem El Torkey	Noor Zaman
World Ranking	No. 21	No. 29
Listed Wins	0	1
Age	21	22
Height	173 cm	185 cm
Weight	73 kg	76 kg
Birthplace	Egypt	Pakistan
Residence	Cairo	Peshawar

Previous Meeting: British Open 2025

Their previous recorded meeting came in the GillenMarkets British Open 2025 qualification quarter-final.

Zaman won the match 3-1, taking the first two games before El Torkey pulled one back. The Pakistani then closed out the contest in the fourth game.

Game	El Torkey	Zaman
1	5	11
2	8	11
3	11	3
4	7	11
Result	1	3

The result gives Zaman an advantage heading into their Qatar Classic meeting, although El Torkey enters the tournament with the higher world ranking.

Zaman and El Torkey Have Already Met in a World U23 Final

There is another important chapter to this matchup.

Zaman defeated El Torkey 3-2 in the men’s final of the World U23 Squash Championship in Karachi, completing a comeback after falling two games behind. World Squash also highlighted the dramatic comeback in its coverage of the final.

That victory gave Zaman a major title on home soil and made El Torkey a familiar opponent for the Pakistani.

Their Qatar Classic meeting will therefore be more than a routine first-round fixture, with Zaman looking to maintain his recent advantage against the Egyptian.

Noor Zaman Enters as World No. 29

Zaman currently sits at No. 29 in the world, while El Torkey is ranked No. 21.

The ranking gap makes El Torkey the higher-ranked player on paper, but Zaman’s previous victories give the Pakistani a strong reason for confidence.

At 22, Zaman is continuing to establish himself among the leading players on the PSA World Tour after winning the World U23 title.

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Qatar Classic 2026 Prize Money

The Qatar Classic is a PSA World Tour Platinum event with a total men’s prize purse of $242,000. The tournament runs from September 12 to 18 in Doha.

The men’s draw contains 32 players, including world No. 1 Mostafa Asal and defending champion Paul Coll. Zaman and El Torkey occupy a first-round matchup in the lower section of the draw.

For Zaman, the immediate objective will be to defeat El Torkey and move into the second round.

Noor Zaman’s Qatar Classic First-Round Challenge

Zaman will face one of his familiar rivals at the opening hurdle of the Qatar Classic 2026.

He enters the contest ranked eight places below El Torkey but leads their listed head-to-head 1-0 after his British Open qualifying victory. His 3-2 World U23 final win over the Egyptian adds further history to the matchup.

A win in Doha would give Zaman another opportunity to make progress at one of the PSA Tour’s major Platinum events and strengthen his position among the world’s top squash players.