Tahir picks up inaugural U18 championship title

Punjab-based youngster outplays Muzammil 5-3 in decider

KARACHI: Punjab’s Haris Tahir became the country’s first national U18 champion after beating Sindh’s Muzammil Khan 5-3 in the final of the 1st Jubilee Insurance National U18 Snooker Championship at the Champions Snooker Academy in Lahore on Monday.

No big breaks were hit, but Tahir remained in control of the match.

The first frame was the most closely-fought one, with Tahir eventually pipping Muzammil by six points and then going on to build a 3-1 lead.



Muzammil then staged a fightback and won back-to-back frames to cancel the advantage.

With the final evenly poised at 3-3, Tahir swept the next two frames and the match with scores of 51-45, 76-06, 43-76, 72-05, 13-43, 37-71, 54-19, 58-20.

Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) President Alamgir Sheikh praised Tahir’s game, terming the youngster another golden find of the federation after the likes of Mohammad Majid Ali and Hamza Akbar.



“We’ve found a gem in Tahir as he is an explosive player,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune. “Some of the shots he played in the final were incredible.”

The PBSA chief also informed that the two finalists are now eligible to take part in the IBSF World U18 Championship. “Tahir and Muzammil will be sent to Belgium for the grand event in July,” said Sheikh. “Furthermore, the two players will also get a wild card to participate in the next seniors’ national championship.”



Tahir also struck the highest break of 102 points in the event.

Sheikh concluded: “I feel the purpose of the U18 championship has been well and truly served with the kind of players that have been unearthed.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2016.

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