Pakistan off to winning start in Doha

Team triumphs on opening day at Asian Snooker Championship.

KARACHI: Pakistan got off to a flying start at the 1^st Asian Snooker Team Championship winning both of their matches against Kuwait and Hong Kong in Doha, Qatar yesterday.

The team went on to win its first tie against Kuwait 3-1 tie with scores of 30-60, 70-30, 80-07 and 78-06.

The first frame of the best-of-five tie was played by newly crowned 6-Red Asian Champion Mohammad Asif, who succumbed to an unexpected loss. However, the damage was repaired by Humza Akbar, who went onto level the contest.

In the doubles match, the duo of Asif and Mohammad Majid gave Pakistan the lead before the IBSF world champion rounded off a perfect victory by triumphing in the fourth frame.

In their second match, Pakistan beat Hong Kong 3-1 with a scoreline of 8-60, 79-64, 71-43 and 57-14.

This tie followed the same pattern as the first one with Asif losing his first match while Humza bringing Pakistan back into contention. The duo of Asif and Majid proved lucky second time as well before Asif showed his class to seal the win in the fourth singles frame.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2013.