Amid poor playing conditions: Lone survivor Asif falls in IBSF World Championship
2012 champion beaten in last-16 as cueists continue to play under marquee
The soaring temperatures in daytime have been a cause of discomfort for the participants, with even air conditioners reportedly failing to provide the required environment conducive to playing quality snooker. PHOTO COURTESY: IBSF
KARACHI:
Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s last player standing in the 2015 IBSF World Individual Snooker Championship, was beaten 5-4 by Thailand’s Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn in their last-16 match in Hurghada, Egypt as poor playing conditions reportedly continue to plague the tournament.
None of the country’s four players — Asif, Muhammad Sajjad, Abdul Sattar and Shahram Changezi — managed to make it to the quarter-finals.
Asif, the 2012 champion, looked in danger of conceding Friday’s match without a single frame to his name as his opponent went all out to lead 3-0. However, the Faisalabad-based cueist pulled one back to make it 3-1.
IBSF World Individual Championship: Sajjad stunned by lower-ranked opponent
With the deficit cut down to two frames, Lertsattayathorn restored his three-frame lead by winning the fifth frame.
The Thai player was just a frame away from claiming the match when suddenly Asif recovered and registered an impressive fightback, which left his opponent stunned for a while and took the match into the decider.
But the Pakistan cueist slipped up when it mattered the most, thereby letting go of his chance to reach the last-eight.
Lertsattayathorn won the last frame by hitting an 86-point break and earned his ticket to the quarter-finals on the back of his scores of 89-33 (54), 95-29, 124-07, 31-70, 63-25, 38-74, 12-113 (72), 13-44, 86-14 (86).
IBSF Championship: Pakistan quartet through to knockouts
Poor arrangements in world championship
While the championship continues, the poor arrangements at the venue have hardly gone unnoticed as the event continues to progress under a marquee in an open space.
The soaring temperatures in daytime have been a cause of discomfort for the participants, with even air conditioners reportedly failing to provide the required environment conducive to playing quality snooker.
Scotland’s Gary Thompson had even fainted during his match and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.
IBSF Championship: Sajjad tops Group N with win
Pakistan’s Changezi expressed his disappointment with the arrangements, commenting that ensuring the best possible playing conditions should have been number one on the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) and hosts Egypt’s list of priorities for the mega event.
“It’s appalling to play a world championship when players are directly affected by sunlight, where a marquee is hardly sufficient cover for such conditions,” Changezi told The Express Tribune.
“A world championship venue like this is nothing less than a disgrace to snooker. It was almost impossible to play in the morning and afternoon sessions. Players from all over the world come to take part in this prestigious event and expect to be provided a good environment so that they can focus on their game rather than fighting to stay upright.”
Officials from Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association were unavailable to comment on the situation when contacted.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2015.
Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s last player standing in the 2015 IBSF World Individual Snooker Championship, was beaten 5-4 by Thailand’s Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn in their last-16 match in Hurghada, Egypt as poor playing conditions reportedly continue to plague the tournament.
None of the country’s four players — Asif, Muhammad Sajjad, Abdul Sattar and Shahram Changezi — managed to make it to the quarter-finals.
Asif, the 2012 champion, looked in danger of conceding Friday’s match without a single frame to his name as his opponent went all out to lead 3-0. However, the Faisalabad-based cueist pulled one back to make it 3-1.
IBSF World Individual Championship: Sajjad stunned by lower-ranked opponent
With the deficit cut down to two frames, Lertsattayathorn restored his three-frame lead by winning the fifth frame.
The Thai player was just a frame away from claiming the match when suddenly Asif recovered and registered an impressive fightback, which left his opponent stunned for a while and took the match into the decider.
But the Pakistan cueist slipped up when it mattered the most, thereby letting go of his chance to reach the last-eight.
Lertsattayathorn won the last frame by hitting an 86-point break and earned his ticket to the quarter-finals on the back of his scores of 89-33 (54), 95-29, 124-07, 31-70, 63-25, 38-74, 12-113 (72), 13-44, 86-14 (86).
IBSF Championship: Pakistan quartet through to knockouts
Poor arrangements in world championship
While the championship continues, the poor arrangements at the venue have hardly gone unnoticed as the event continues to progress under a marquee in an open space.
The soaring temperatures in daytime have been a cause of discomfort for the participants, with even air conditioners reportedly failing to provide the required environment conducive to playing quality snooker.
Scotland’s Gary Thompson had even fainted during his match and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.
IBSF Championship: Sajjad tops Group N with win
Pakistan’s Changezi expressed his disappointment with the arrangements, commenting that ensuring the best possible playing conditions should have been number one on the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) and hosts Egypt’s list of priorities for the mega event.
“It’s appalling to play a world championship when players are directly affected by sunlight, where a marquee is hardly sufficient cover for such conditions,” Changezi told The Express Tribune.
“A world championship venue like this is nothing less than a disgrace to snooker. It was almost impossible to play in the morning and afternoon sessions. Players from all over the world come to take part in this prestigious event and expect to be provided a good environment so that they can focus on their game rather than fighting to stay upright.”
Officials from Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association were unavailable to comment on the situation when contacted.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2015.