Pakistan’s top-ranked cueist Shahid Aftab kept the country’s hopes alive in the Asian Snooker Championship when he cruised into the quarter-finals in style, thrashing UAE’s Mohammadal Joaker in the pre-quarterfinals.
Shahid handed a 5-0 drubbing to the more-experienced opponent to enter the last-eights. The win also settled score against the UAE cueist who dumped Pakistan’s main hope, Mohammad Sajjad, out of the competition when he beat last year’s runners-up in the last group A match.
Shahid improved as the tournament progressed and looked in his best form against Joaker. He dominated the match and never let this opponent take a commanding position after claiming the first frame 62-48.
The Faisalabad-based cueist bravely resisted aggressive strategy by Joaker who strived to stage a comeback throughout the match. Shahid, after winning the second frame 61-49, took the next three frames by 68-57, 73-68 and 61-30 to record the straight-frame win in the best-of-nine encounter.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2011.
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