Asjad Iqbal register 4-2 victory over Haris Tahir in NBP Snooker championship
Defending champion Asjad Iqbal came up with 4-2 victory over Haris Tahir in opening day clash of 10th National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker championship at the bank’s sports complex, Karachi.
Defending champion Asjad Iqbal came up with 4-2 victory over Haris Tahir with the final score line of 41-73, 71-0, 66-1, 6-83, 68-5, 58-51 in the opening day match of 10th National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker championship at the bank’s sports complex, Karachi.
National champion and top seed Mohammad Asif, losing finalists of the country’s premier snooker championship and second seed Mohammad Bilal conjured up emphatic victories over their respective opponents.
Asif blanked Sarbuland Khan straight 131-0, 79-22, 71-26, 81-54 while Bilal was home 4-1 against Shaikh M. Mudassir 64-7, 49-73, 68-28, 58-55, 78-15.
Shahid Aftab blanked Muhammad Sajjad, a former world number two, in straight frames while Asif Toba meted out similar treatment to Naseem Akhtar, hailed as the wonder boy of Pakistan snooker after his accomplishments at the under-18 level.
Four seeded cueists third seed Babar Masih, fourth seed Mohammad Majid Ali, fifth seed Mohammad Ahsan Javaid and seventh seed Ali Haider suffered shock defeats on the opening day.
Second seed Bilal defeated Mudassir comfortably. Sixth seed Sultan survived some anxious moments before overpowering Abdullah 4-2.
Bilawal, won the decisive frame to return 4-3 victorious with frame scores of 45-75, 57-21, 72-16, 0-121, 71-46, 0-1 (awarded to Ian), 58-51.
Opening Day Results:
Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Sarbuland Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-0 (131-0, 79-22, 71-26, 81-54);
Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Shaikh M. Mudassir (Punjab) 4-1 (64-7, 49-73, 68-28, 58-55, 78-15);
Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Babar Masih (Punjab) 4-0 (68-24, 64-17, 70-52, 72-55);
Mohammad Shahbaz (Punjab) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) 4-2 (67-23, 7-65, 69-61, 52-44, 28-99, 56-28);
Umair Alam (Sindh) bt Mohammad Ahsan Javaid (Punjab) 4-2 (74-11, 68-0, 0-87, 58-28, 51-65, 74-35);
Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) bt Abdullah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-2 (48-58, 71-27, 54-42, 62-49, 49-61, 73-6);
Abdul Javaid (Punjab) bt Ali Haider (Punjab) 4-2 (28-81, 52-73, 74-9, 68-47, 65-26, 50-22);
Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-3 (47-62, 69-25, 31-63, 66-63, 71-13, 63-75, 66-45);
Agha Bilawal (Sindh) bt Ian Mark John (Sindh) 4-3 (45-75, 57-21, 72-16, 0-121, 71-46, 0-1, 58-51);
Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) 4-0 (89-6, 83-22, 54-28, 57-48);
Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Mohammad Umar (Punjab) 4-1 (72-10, 71-59, 54-53, 59-90, 76-35);
Musadiq Mehmood (Islamabad) bt Qadeer Abbas (Punjab) 4-2 (70-28, 24-75, 77-15, 71-34, 14-70, 61-58);
Mohammad Faizan (Sindh) bt Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-2 (56-41, 31-71, 70-29, 27-63, 80-40, 66-25);
Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (Punjab) 4-0 (66-22, 77-16, 61-0, 49-2);
Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Haris Tahir (Punjab) 4-2 (41-73, 71-0, 66-1, 6-83, 68-5, 58-51);
Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Usman Ahmad (Punjab) 4-2 (62-29, 2-83, 31-74, 67-22, 78-31, 22-56).
Today's (6th Aug) fixtures:
10:00am:
Mohammad Ahsan Javaid (Punjab) vs Mohammad Faizan (Sindh);
Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) vs Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab);
Ali Haider (Punjab) vs Haris Tahir (Punjab);
Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) vs Usman Ahmad (Punjab).
12noon:
Mohammad Asif (Punjab) vs Ian Mark John (Sindh);
Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) vs Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab);
Babar Masih (Punjab) vs Mohammad Umar (Punjab);
Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) vs Musadiq Mehmood (Islamabad).
2:00pm:
Mohammad Imran (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) vs Umair Alam (Sindh);
Rambail Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) vs Abdullah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa);
Mubashir Raza (Punjab) vs Abdul Javaid (Punjab);
Farhan Noor (Punjab) vs Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
4:00pm:
Rashid Mehmood Abbasi (Islamabad) vs Sarbuland Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa);
Khurram H. Agha (Sindh) vs Shaikh M. Mudassir (Punjab);
Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) vs Imran Shehzad (Punjab);
Amir Sohail (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) vs Mohammad Shahbaz (Punjab).
