Sajjad, Shahzad out of Asian Championship

Shahid reaches last-16 of snooker event in India.

KARACHI:

Pakistan suffered a double blow to their Asian Snooker Championship campaign when last year’s finalist Mohammad Sajjad and compatriot Imran Shahzad were knocked out of the event in Indore, India.

Both cueists crashed out after losing their last group matches. However, national champion Shahid Aftab kept Pakistan’s hopes alive in the 18-nation event by reaching the pre-quarterfinals.

Shahid became the only Pakistan cueist to reach the knockout stage after defeating Hossein Vafaei Ayouri of Iran 36-58, 72-43, 75-41, 47-64, 68-45, 65-41.

Sajjad was the first to bow out of the event following a 4-3 loss to Mohammed Al Joaker. The experienced cueist from the UAE won 72-25, 71-39, 31-77, 1-78, 55-52, 8-75, 113-16 and hit a break of 113 points in the final frame.

Meanhile, Shahzad was defeated by Thailand’s Passakorn Suwannawat who won the last group F match 21-67, 74-35, 0-77, 55-42, 68-48,63-61. The defeated cueists finished with two victories and as many defeats each.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2011.