Egypt celebrate after retaining the Women's World Team Squash Championship title on home soil in Cairo ©WSF

Hosts Egypt defeated the United States to retain the Women’s World Team Squash Championship title in front of a sellout 1,500 crowd at the Madinaty Sporting Club in Cairo.

Egypt boasted the top three players in the women’s world rankings, but in the opening contest of the final, world number one Nouran Gohar was taken to five games by Amanda Sobhy of the United States.

Gohar opened up a 7-0 lead in game one and although Sobhy reduced the deficit Gohar took it 11-7.

Sobhy took game two 11-5 and when the American took the third 12-10, Egypt were in uncharted territory as for the first time they were behind in the tournament.

Gohar had to show her battling qualities in game four as she saved two match balls, taking it 13-11.

In the decider Sobhy appeared to tire and Gohar took advantage of this, firing winners as she claimed it 11-8, and earned a 3-2 victory to put Egypt 1-0 up.

In the second match world number two Nour El Sherbini, the defending individual and team world champion, took on Olivia Fiechter.

El Sherbini was in control of the contest throughout, winning 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 to claim a fifth team title.

Nouran Gohar, who claimed a dramatic five-game victory over Amanda Sobhy, gave Egypt a 1-0 lead in the Women's World Team Squash Championship final ©WSF
Nouran Gohar, who claimed a dramatic five-game victory over Amanda Sobhy, gave Egypt a 1-0 lead in the Women's World Team Squash Championship final ©WSF

Bronze medals were awarded to the beaten semi-finalists England and Malaysia.

Egypt defeated Malaysia by 2-0, with Hania El Hammamy and Gohar claiming the victories.

Meanwhile the United States overcame England by 2-0, with the Sobhy sisters Amanda and Sabrina claiming the wins.

Reflecting on the tournament, WSF President Zena Wooldridge said: "This Women’s World Team Championships concludes a really outstanding year of squash events in the post-COVID era.

"This is the first Women’s World Teams we’ve had for four years, so it’s great to see everyone back.

"The Women’s World Team Championship is always a special event, and I think it’s something the players really enjoy; they don’t get to play team events too often.

"You can tell the dynamic, the atmosphere and the experience is really fantastic for the teams.

"Here today, we’ve had two nations fielding the strongest women’s teams that they’ve ever had and it’s produced some really world-class squash.

"We also see a representation of the universality of squash - we have four teams from four different continents on the podium this evening."

Japan’s Satomi Watanabe, who won all six of her matches, was named as the Most Valuable Player, while South Africa were named Team of the Championship.