6-Red competition: Bilal advances to last-eight, Masih crashes

Mixed fortunes for Pakistan cueists at Asian event in UAE

KARACHI: Pakistan’s current top-ranked player Muhammad Bilal reached the quarter-finals of the inaugural Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports Championship’s 6-Red event yesterday in UAE.

Bilal’s bye in the first round meant he automatically reached the last-16, where he dominated UAE’s Saif alShamsi 5-0.

He took the first frame 39-0 and carried on his winning ways throughout the match to triumph with scores of 42-1, 39-9, 63-4, 49-0 to seal the win.



Bilal will face India’s Brijesh Damani in the quarterfinals.

“We’re expecting Bilal to reach the finals,” Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) official and referee Naveed Kapadia told The Express Tribune. “He has played well so far, but Damani is also an experienced cueist so he will proceed with caution.”

On the other hand, compatriot Babar Masih faltered and lost his last-16 match 5-3 against Qatar’s Ahmed Saif.



Masih managed to win just the first, third and fifth frames, surrendering the rest to his Qatari opponent.

Earlier, Masih defeated Turkmenistan’s Begench Aydogfyey 5-0 in the first round.

The PBSA has sent Bilal, Masih and former IBSF world champion Muhammad Asif for the championships.



Bilal and Babar were competing in the 6-Red event, while Asif will play in the snooker singles and later the players will perform in the team event from September 29.

“Asif will be a strong competitor in the snooker singles competition,” said a confident Kapadia. “I believe he is a tough nut to crack when he maintains his focus.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2016.

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