Sajjad loses both matches in Bangkok

Pakistan snooker number one Mohammad Sajjad’s lost both his Group H matches.

KARACHI: Pakistan snooker number one Mohammad Sajjad’s chances of progressing to the second round of the Sangsom 6-Red World Championship lost took a serious hit after he lost both his Group H matches. Sajjad went down to England’s Ricky Walden 5-4 before Barry Hawkins beat the Asian championsho finalist 5-2 in a on the second day of tournament in Bangkok.

Sajjad opened the match against Hawkins with an impressive break of 68 but then succumbed to the world number 17 in the second and third frames 59-0, 57-1. Sajjad hit back to take the fourth frame 37-25, but Hawkins won the next two to seal the victory.

“I gave my best in both the matches,” Sajjad told The Express Tribune. “Playing with professional cueists is a learning experience in itself, so I don’t think I lost in any way.”

Earlier in the day, the world number 20 Walden beat Sajjad in a see-saw match.

Sajjad snatched the first frame 38-1 before losing the second 37-12. However, Sajjad followed up by winning the third 41-12 before Walden took the next three 35-25, 69-0, 36-21, including a break of 69.  The match turned its head again as Sajjad took the next two frames 51-4, 37-17 but Walden clinched the decider 35-15 to seal the result.

“Losing these two matches doesn’t mean the championship is over for me. I have two more matches to play, I’m sure I will qualify for the knockout stage,” said Sajjad.

The only Pakistani in the tournament, Sajjad, will take on UAE’s Mohammed Al Joakar and China’s Liu Chuang today.

In other group matches, former world champion Jimmy White brushed aside Australia’s Mifsud 5-0 in his Group A match.

England’s Mark Selby also won his match as he defeated India’s Yasin Merchant 5-1.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2010.