Imran pots his way into snooker final
Pakistan number one to face Toba for the title today.
KARACHI:
Pakistan number one Imran Shahzad will face Mohammad Asif Toba in the final of the third Jubilee General Insurance Ranking Snooker Championship today after both cueists won their semi-finals with relative ease.
While Toba outclassed former Asian Championship finalist Khurram Agha 6-1 in the first semi-final, Shahzad overcame former Pakistan number one Shahid Aftab 6-3 in the second to seal his progress.
Shahzad, recovering from dengue, lost the first frame but found the going rather easy. A 71-32 scoreline saw the country’s top cueist level the match before the second came his way 90-36.
With two frames and a 2-1 lead in the bag, Shahzad’s placement and potting got better with every shot as he hit a break of 109 in the fourth frame. Although the top-seed missed the clearance on a difficult pink, the confidence was there to see as he hit the tournament’s fourth century break.
Aftab saw Shahzad win the fifth frame 70-57 before a close battle eventually saw him clinch the sixth frame on the black. However, that was it for the former national champion as Shahzad won the next two frames 65-20, 72-54 to take the match and set up a final showdown.
“I’ve been battling with illness but it’s getting better now,” Shahzad told The Express Tribune. “The confidence I’ve gained in the semi-final, especially the century break, will help me against Toba. He’s playing well, so it’ll be a good match.”
While Shahzad praised his opponent-to-be in the final, Toba showed his class in the other semi. After going down in the first frame, Toba made Agha look mediocre as he clinched the next frames 68-38, 53-45, 62-58, 60-47, 80-0, 82-30.
Toba, who already has the tournament’s highest break (138) to his name, hit a break of 80 in the sixth frame to give a taste of things to come today.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2011.
Pakistan number one Imran Shahzad will face Mohammad Asif Toba in the final of the third Jubilee General Insurance Ranking Snooker Championship today after both cueists won their semi-finals with relative ease.
While Toba outclassed former Asian Championship finalist Khurram Agha 6-1 in the first semi-final, Shahzad overcame former Pakistan number one Shahid Aftab 6-3 in the second to seal his progress.
Shahzad, recovering from dengue, lost the first frame but found the going rather easy. A 71-32 scoreline saw the country’s top cueist level the match before the second came his way 90-36.
With two frames and a 2-1 lead in the bag, Shahzad’s placement and potting got better with every shot as he hit a break of 109 in the fourth frame. Although the top-seed missed the clearance on a difficult pink, the confidence was there to see as he hit the tournament’s fourth century break.
Aftab saw Shahzad win the fifth frame 70-57 before a close battle eventually saw him clinch the sixth frame on the black. However, that was it for the former national champion as Shahzad won the next two frames 65-20, 72-54 to take the match and set up a final showdown.
“I’ve been battling with illness but it’s getting better now,” Shahzad told The Express Tribune. “The confidence I’ve gained in the semi-final, especially the century break, will help me against Toba. He’s playing well, so it’ll be a good match.”
While Shahzad praised his opponent-to-be in the final, Toba showed his class in the other semi. After going down in the first frame, Toba made Agha look mediocre as he clinched the next frames 68-38, 53-45, 62-58, 60-47, 80-0, 82-30.
Toba, who already has the tournament’s highest break (138) to his name, hit a break of 80 in the sixth frame to give a taste of things to come today.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2011.