KARACHI:
Pakistan’s top-ranked cueist Muhammad Asif vowed to emulate Muhammad Yousuf’s heroics that helped him win the World Amateur Championship after beating Syria’s Mer Alkojah 6-2 in the quarter-final yesterday.
Asif was due to play his semi-final against Malta’s Alex Borg late last night but, before the showdown, the 30-year-old said that qualifying for the final would pay off all his hard work.
“I’m confident that I can win this match if Pakistan prayed for me,” Asif said while talking to The Express Tribune from Sofia. “It has been a great tournament for me and I can sense that I’m in my best form. The control, potting, safe shots all have been falling in the right places for me.”
Asif won the 11-setter quarter-final 55-53, 50-63, 41-72, 78-50, 73-36, 99-26, 64-54 and 82-40. Earlier on Friday night, he had thrashed Egypt’s Wael Talaat in his last-16 clash 5-2 by piling up big breaks as he won with a scoreline of 118-0, 62-58, 37-62, 90-17, 108-0, 04-108 and 77-22.
Asif stressed that the last few days have been a great learning curve for him as he finally started to absorb the pressure of international tournaments, something he always failed to do in the past.
“Now my confidence knows no bounds and I can take the pressure calmly. After performing well in Dubai International Open and now in the World Championship, I believe I can compete with the best in the world.”
He said that if the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) continued to send him and other competitive players to international tournaments, then soon Pakistan would be able to produce a world champion.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2012.
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