IBSF world championship: ‘Pakistan team looks promising’

Sajjad, Asif, Masih, Naseem, Iqbal to participate in 6-Red and Team events

KARACHI: Pakistan's Asian 6-Red Champion Muhammad Sajjad along with four other players will kick-off their campaign at the IBSF World 6-Red and Team Championship in Egypt on Wednesday.

The team includes former IBSF world champion Muhammad Asif, Asian 6-Red 2017 team event silver-medallist Babar Masih, and IBSF U18 Champions Naseem Akhtar and Asjad Iqbal besides Sajjad.

Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) official and referee Naveed Kapadia believes the team, which began their training 15 days before the event, looks promising.

"Sajjad is very much in form and we are hoping for best results," Kapadia told The Express Tribune. "It’s going to be an interesting event. We made sure that Asif also takes part because he is a former world champion and he knows the dynamics of an IBSF event, so he brings in a lot of experience. Similarly, we thought it is important to send Naseem and give him a chance in the seniors' event.”

Kapadia added: "The championship will be much more challenging than the Asian 6-Red."

Naseem, who last month became the first-ever Pakistani to win the IBSF U18 World Championship, together with Sajjad, Masih and Asjad form a competitive team with a mixture of experience and talent.

The only person missing from the team which participated in the Asian 6-Red and Team Championship in Bishkek last month is Muhammad Bilal who was competing at the 2017 World Games in Poland, where he crashed out in the first round.

"Bilal couldn't go because he just arrived today,” revealed Kapadia. “He was in Poland so we couldn't get a visa for him for Egypt. He is a good player but had tough luck in Wroclaw. The two events overlapped otherwise we would've wanted Bilal to be in the team too."

The draws of the IBSF 6-Red Championship and Team event will be announced later.