Top snooker players off to winning start

Sajjad, Imran, Asjad win on opening day of championship.

Pakistan’s top snooker players made a winning start on the opening day of the 36th National Snooker Championship. Pakistan ace Imran Shahzad beat Naeem Jaffer 4-0 while Asjad Iqbal defeated Faisal Kashmiri 4-2.

Asian number two Mohammad Sajjad outclassed Kamranur Rehman 4-2 while Sohail Shahzad beat Abdul Rehman 4-0. Imran Qamar rallied hard but finally overcame former national champion Mohammad Yousuf 4-3.

Iqbal lost the first frame to Kashmiri but fought back in the next two to win 81-28, 78-19 before the latter hit back to clinch a thriller 58-49.  However, the Punjab cueist won the next two frames. Qamar too was off to a terrible start but hit back in the next three before the former world amateur champion won the next frame convincingly 56-15. But Qamar won the decider 76-46.

Sajjad was dealt a blow when he surprisingly lost the first frame 63-33 but was soon back to his best as he clinched the next four frames to seal Rehman’s fate. Meanwhile, Mohammad Asif beat Khurrum Agha 4-3 and Muhammad Shahid beat Sharjeel Mehmood as the day was dominated by the Punjab cueists.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st,  2011.