Daily Times

KARACHI: It took former world champion and second seed Mohammad Asif six years to lay his hands on the prized trophy for the third time while routing former national champion and third seed Mohammad Bilal 8-5 in the epic final of the Jubilee Insurance 43rd National Snooker Championship at the Karachi Gymkhana here on Wednesday. Having won the national title twice in 2009 and 2012, the 36-year-old Asif thwarted the challenge of his opponent to start the year on a winning note. He won the four-and-a-half hour duel 83-10, 69-48, 76-19, 12-78, 28-93, 0-87, 57-77, 68-9, 79-34, 8-87, 75-51, 69-40, 66-37. By doing so, Asif equalled the three-time national champion feat of contemporary cueist Mohammad Sajjad besides becoming the third cueist ever in the country’s history of the game to achieve it. It is pertinent to mention that former world champion and veteran Mohammad Yousuf had won the national title for a record 13 times in the past.

“I am delighted on the success that brought me on top of the national ranking again in adition to giving a ticket for the 34th Asian Snooker Championship being held at Tabriz, Iran, from April 22 to 28,` a jubilant Asif said after the final. Besides losing 2-4 to the reigning junior world champion Mohammad Naseem Akhtar, Asif survived a scare before winning the fully stretched battle against national junior under-18 champion Mohammad Umer 4-3 after being down 0-3 to finish runner-up in group B. He carved out 5-3 victory over the top seed Asjad Iqbal in the knockout pre quarter-finals, blanked Zulfiqar A. Qadir 5-0 in the quarters and was home 6-3 over Mohammad Majid Ali in the semifinal. Asif said he was looking forward to annex the Asian title and become eligible for the pro circuit. “I’d played enough snooker at home and eager to play pro-circuit now,” he maintained. “The final was evenly poised after five-all and titled in my favour after Bilal committed errors,” Asif said while praising the performance of Bilal in the final.

In the run-up to the final, Bilal stayed unbeaten by emerging group C champion and went on to beat Punjab Cup qualifier Qadeer Abbas 5-4 in the pre quarters, carved out 5-3 victory over lithseed Mohammad Ahsan Javaid in the quarters and prevailed 6-2 over eighth seed Babar Masih in the semis. Attributing the loss to bad luck, Bilal said it was not his day. “After five-all, I was in a position to go 6-5 up when a silly mistake cost me the frame he said adding that he had another chance in the 12th frame but that too was wasted. “I’m married and had a family including two children to support. In the absence of a job, I’m finding it difficult to concentrate on my game,” a dejected Bilal said. “Besides winning the national title once in 2016, I had played four ranking finals and six semi-finals in addition to representing Pakistan a couple of times in the last five years,` he said urging the games controlling body to help him get the employment.

Meanwhile, Asif had a good start and surged 3-0 in the best of 15 frames final. However, he failed to maintain the pace that saw the lead slip from his hands as he trailed 3-4. While Asif compiled a break of 83 in the first frame, Bilal hammered four successive breaks of 63, 60, 59 and 77 in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh frames to turn the tide in his favour. Never say die Asif staged a comeback slamming back-to-back breaks of 61 and 79 to earn 5-4 lead. Bilal drew level by piling up an elegant break of 87 in the 10thframe but the final was over for him. Taking advantage of Bilal`s errors, Asif quickly wrapped up the match by taking the next three frames. Asif had scored three century breaks including the highest 132 of the competition. Asif received a winning purse of Rs1,00,000 and glittering trophy from the chief guest, managing director of the Jubilee General Insurance, Tahir Ahmed, at the presentation that was held after the final. The highest break also earned Asif another Rs10,000 cash award. Bilal fetched Rs50,000 and runner-up trophy. Also present at the prize distribution among others were president of the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) Munawwar Hussain Shaikh, former president Alamgir Shaikh, PBSF secretary Zulfiqar Ramzi and treasurer Ifan Moton. Meanwhile, former president and life chairman Asghar Valika has congratulated Asif for winning the national title for the third time.

Published in Daily Times, February 23^rd 2018.