Asif cruises into last-32 of world championship

Mixed fortunes for Pakistan as Iqbal knocked out.


Our Correspondent November 29, 2012

KARACHI: Pakistan experienced mixed results in the knockout stage of the IBSF World Snooker Championship yesterday – country’s top-ranked player Mohammad Asif advanced into the last-32 with an easy win while Asjad Iqbal was knocked out after a close match in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Asif brushed aside Egypt’s Yaser Elsherbiny 4-1, dominating the game right from the beginning. He won three straight frames and swept the match 65-28, 109-26, 78-45, 28-69 and 59-06. He will now face Australia’s Vinnie Calabrese.

Meanwhile, Iqbal failed to capitalise on a good start, leading 3-1, and was beaten 4-3 by England’s Billy Castle who showed great determination to win 16-108, 44-65, 94-07, 09-95, 66-40, 83-44 and 88-16.

Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) had sent Iqbal and Umair Alam for a month-long coaching clinic in Bangkok but had ignored Asif. However, this did not make much difference to the number one cueist as he maintained his winning form by beating Iqbal in a national ranking event and then reaching the finals in the Dubai International Open.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2012.

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