IBSF World Championship: Undefeated Asif enters knockout stage

Bilal collects another win; Pakistan cueists shine in Masters event as well

KARACHI: Former IBSF world champion Muhammad Asif yesterday rallied to overcome local cueist Ali Alobaidli 4-3 to collect his third consecutive victory and a safe passage to the knockout stage of the IBSF World Snooker Championship, currently under way in Doha.

Asif, who won his first two matches without dropping a single frame, lost the first against the Qatari and was 3-1 down at one stage before he bounced back to win three frames in a row to earn a hard-fought victory.

After losing the opening frame 40-66, Asif claimed the second frame 79-11 before Alobaidli won back-to-back frames — 84-16 and 73-6 — to stretch his lead to 3-1.

Asif, who captured the crown four years ago, then displayed his class to win the next three frames 72-0, 96-16 and 78-16, including a break of 72 points in the final frame, to seal the win.



He will now meet Thomas Dowling of Ireland in his final group match today, with another victory guaranteeing him the top spot in the group, by virtue of which he would be awarded a bye in the first knockout stage.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Muhammad Bilal was also victorious after downing Qatar’s Mohsen Bukshaisha 62-71, 84-13, 67-19, 33-60, 64-63, 60-35 in Monday’s match.

In the Masters event, Imran Shehzad continued his flawless run with a 3-0 win over Jesus de Oliveira of Brazil on Monday night. The veteran’s 79-09, 76-60 and 67-10 victory also included a break of 61 points in the first frame.

Similarly, Muhammad Azhar Khan overcame Bahrain’s Zuhair Alelaiwat 29-63, 61-54, 01-63, 78-08, 64-24, while Naveen Perwani  registered a 83-11, 16-81, 61-46, 34-71(41), 82-42 victory over Egypt’s Ahmed Galal.



‘Tough test ahead’

Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association official Naveed Kapadia hailed the cueists’ show but predicted a tough ride ahead.

“The start is very encouraging as all our cueists are winning their respective matches,” Kapadia told The Express Tribune. “The competition will get tougher as it will advance but we are hoping our cueists will do well.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2016.

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