Iran down Pakistan in snooker series

Hosts excel on final day to prevail in five-day event.

KARACHI:

Iran cueists staged a dramatic comeback on the final day as they beat Pakistan 48-42 to clinch the five-day bilateral series by 17 points in Tehran.

According to information provided by the Pakistan Snookers and Billiards Association, Asian number two Mohammad Sajjad finished with nine wins in 15 games while Pakistan’s other two cueists – Imran Shahzad and Mohammad Shahid – won just five games.

Iran dominate final day

Trailing till the end of the fourth day, Iran dominated  with Ehsan Hydarinehzad being their top performer. He beat Shahzad 5-2 with a break of 104. However, Shahzad managed to bounce back to win his remaining matches: beating Babak Rostami 5-2 before overcoming Ali Roshaikya 4-3 to end his campaign on a winning note.

Meanwhile, Sajjad, who won all his matches on the fourth day, failed to carry his form and lost both his games on the final day. He was first beaten 4-3 by Hossein Vafaei before succumbing 5-2 to Hydarinehzad. His only win of the day came against Sepher Lababi who he beat 4-3.

Pakistan number one Shahid registered two wins as he defeated Roshanikya 4-3 and Armin Khodaparast 5-2. The country’s national champion lost his only match of the day when he was thrashed 6-1 by Vafaei.

The lone performer Sajjad

Sajjad, who was Pakistan’s lone success story in the series, said the series serves as good preparation for future events.

“We got the much-needed training by playing in Iran,” Sajjad told The Express Tribune. “The series will definitely benefit us in the Asian Snooker Championship that follows soon.”

The same squad will represent Pakistan in the Asian tournament to be held in Indore, India from the third week of April.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th,  2011.