Imran, Sajjad’s golden run ends

Sajjad’s form left a lot to be desired as he lost his first match.

KARACHI: Imran Shahzad and Mohammad Sajjad’s winning streak in the IBSF World Amatuer Snooker Championship ended while Sohail Shahzad prevailed in Damascus, Syria.

Pakistan number one Imran went down to Iran’s Sohail Vahedi 4-1 as he tasted his first defeat in four matches of the tournament. The Iranian dominated Imran right from the start as he won the first three frames 63-40, 94-16, 76-50. However, Imran fought back to claim the next frame 92-35 but Vahedi sealed the 4-1 victory as he won the fifth frame 70-14.

Imran earlier defeated Australian Vinnie Calabresse, South Africa’s Faaris Khan and Turkey’s Emir Yigit.

First defeat for Sajjad as well

Sajjad was beaten by Thailand’s Noppadol Sangnil 4-2. Asia’s number two was off to a shaky start as he lost the first two frames 87-30, 57-54 but regained his form in the third to win 77-8. Sangnil then produced his best snooker to clinch the next frame 98-0 before Sajjad kept his hopes alive as he won 71-4. But it was Sangnil who won 72-66 to seal the victory.

Sajjad defeated Japan’s Shuji Hase, Dutch Alain Vandersteen and Egypt’s Karam Fatima.

Sohail salvages pride

There was some good news for Pakistan as Sohail beat Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Abdullah Assiri 4-2. He lost the first frame 65-54 but levelled the score in the next 77-10. Abdullah hit back in the third frame but Sohail dominated the match from there on and won the next three frames 70-31, 44-13 and 67-24 to clinch his third win in four matches.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2010.