World 6-Red Snooker Championships: Asif keen on regaining winning form for mega event

Tournament to begin in earnest on Friday with 18 nations participating.

KARACHI: Snooker, an increasingly progressive sport in Pakistan, will go an extra mile on Friday when the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World 6-Red and Team Championships get under way for eight action-packed days.

An oft-neglected game, despite the achievements of the national cueists, snooker continues to enhance the reputation of Pakistan as hosts and genuine title contenders in the IBSF and Asian competitions.

Presently, it is a golden period for snooker in Pakistan and home favourite Mohammad Asif wants to make the occasion even more memorable by winning at least one of the two titles on offer.

“I’m really eager to leave my mark on these championships,” Asif told The Express Tribune. “We’re playing at home and will have the support of our countrymen so it’s certainly a very exciting occasion for me and everyone who will represent Pakistan. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to become a sporting icon.”

The 31-year-old’s fame has lately dimmed a bit in the face of Hamza Akbar emerging as a brand name after registering himself in the professional circuit, while Mohammad Sajjad is another name who shares the limelight.

However, former IBSF world champion Asif is not worried about that and feels that he can change it all with one decisive performance.

Asif has been paired with Sajjad for the team event, with the duo having already won the IBSF World Team Championship and will go into the competition as the strongest pair.

“We can win the team championship because Sajjad and I have good chemistry and we have each other’s back if one of us isn’t playing well,” said Asif.

Almost all foreign teams have arrived except for a few cueists from China and India who are expected to make it in time before the competition begins on Friday.

The participants were given a briefing about the competition followed by an opening ceremony.

Pakistan’s performance has not been at par in the 6-Red competition as compared to the conventional 15-red event apart from Asif becoming the Asian 6-Red Champion in 2013, but Sajjad is keen to make amends.

“It’s true that overall, Pakistanis haven’t done well in 6-Reds, but now we have a chance to test our mettle, said Sajjad. “We’ll also try to reclaim the World Team Championship title which we lost last year.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th,  2015.

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