Imran pots his way into the final

Seasoned cueist to face Sohail for national title.

KARACHI:

Seasoned cueist Imran Shahzad prevailed over Mohammad Asif to enter the final of the NBP Ranking Snooker Championship underway at the Karachi Club.

Imran made his intentions clear from the start, hitting a break of 70 in the first frame to win 98-0. The cueist gave few chances in the next two frames as he clinched them 61-19 and 70-32 to secure a 3-0 lead in the match.

Asif, an upcoming player from Punjab, bounced back and managed a 92-46 win in the fourth frame courtesy a break of 67.

Century break in fifth frame

However, Imran used all his experience, responding with a break of 104 to shatter Asif’s confidence.

Asif was not out of the match yet and reduced the lead to 4-2 by winning the following frame 90-21 before Imran, with a break of 57, clinched the seventh frame 72-14 and then sealed his place in the final after a tense 72-71 win.

The Lahore player, who entered the event as the second-seed, will face Karachi’s Sohail Shahzad today. Imran, the favourite to win the final, however, expects a tough contest from Sohail.

“I enjoyed my game,” Imran told The Express Tribune. “The organisers have shifted us on quality tables that have improved the quality of the game. Sohail is an experienced and talented cueist and I would have to work hard to win the final.”





Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2011.