Affan Salman, a 16-year-old from Pakistan, clinched the World Youth Scrabble title in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan secured its fifth victory at the World Youth Scrabble Championship, setting a global record. Salman led the event, winning 19 of 23 games, making Pakistan the first nation to win the title five times. The championship featured 138 contestants worldwide.
An official Facebook post by the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) highlighted Salman’s remarkable 20-4 record with a +1793 spread, underscoring his strategic prowess.
Several Pakistani players also performed notably. Bilal Ashar ranked 6th and Ibrahim Mansoor 8th, both securing records of 16-8. Aehzam Ahmed finished in the top 10. India’s Suyash Manchali placed second with a 17-7 record and a +2364 spread, showcasing strong competitive skill. The event underscored Pakistan’s dominance in Scrabble.
Affan’s achievement followed his brother Ali Salman’s win in 2022, marking a historic moment as the first siblings to win the championship.
Pakistan claimed numerous awards, including the team trophy, with four players finishing in the top ten. Asher also captured the under-14 title, while Zayan Zaman won for the highest single-move score. Waseem Khatri of Pakistan won the adult-side tournament.
