Snooker: Veterans Asif, Sajjad secure semis berths

KARACHI:

Former IBSF world champion Muhammad Asif moved into the semi-finals of the 40th National Snooker Championship as he shrugged off a tough challenge from Khurram Agha with a 5-3 victory in their quarter-final clash on Saturday.

Asif went down in the first frame, but took the next two to go 2-1 up. Seasoned player Agha kept himself in the hunt as he caught up with his opponent 2-2. However, Asif once again increased his lead by winning the fifth and sixth frames.

Trailing 4-2, Agha redeemed himself temporarily by winning the next frame but Asif dominated the match from there on, hitting an 83-point break in the eighth frame to triumph with scores of 41-68, 86-9, 69-27, 40-58, 65-26, 83(61)-10, 20-59 and 103(83)-9.

Meanwhile, Shehram Changezi defeated Babar Masih 5-3 with a scoreline of 24-93, 63-16, 29-105, 87-0, 1-95 (95), 116-0, 72-40 and 55-8, while Muhammad Sajjad won 5-2 against Akaash Rafique with scores of 74-41, 77-12, 64-58, 29-62, 75-0, 35-89 and 69-54.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2015.

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