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The Conversation

Factual: Life Stories

Two women from different parts of the world share the stories of their lives

Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.

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The Conversation: Squash Stars: Maria Toorpakai and Nicol David

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Maria and Nicol

Squash Stars: Maria Toorpakai and Nicol David

BBC World Service - The Conversation, Squash Stars: Maria Toorpakai and Nicol David

Pioneering squash players from Pakistan and Malaysia swap notes

Pakistan's No. 1 player Maria Toorpakai and eight time world champion Nicol David from Malaysia discuss the intensity and joy of their sport

Maria Toorpakai grew up in the traditional tribal region of Waziristan, and from an early age decided she would rather play with the boys than stay inside with the girls.  So she burned her 'girly' clothes and cut her hair short so she could run and jump and wrestle outside.  When her family moved to Peshawar Maria picked up a squash racket for the first time, and by the age of 16 was Pakistan's number one player. Her success led to death threats however, and she was forced into hiding and playing only in her bedroom. Maria now lives and trains in Canada. Her book A Different Kind of Daughter: The Girl Who Hid From the Taliban in Plain Sight (with Katharine Holstein) is out now.

Malaysia's Nicol David has dominated women's squash since 2005.  She was the World No 1 woman player for an unprecedented 9 years.  Nicol says her greatest win was her first world title when she was 22 in Hong Kong, which came as a complete surprise.  She started playing squash with her sisters to work out her hyperactivity, and quickly became a junior champion.  She says squash is like 'physical chess' - you are always thinking ahead by two or three moves.

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