January 21, 2002	Monday	Ziqa’ad 6, 1422

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KARACHI, Jan 20: Mohammad Akhlas was crowned the Sindh Cup champion when he beat compatriot Ahmer Sheikh 6-3 at the Indus Snooker Hall Sunday afternoon.

Akhlas, having played in the national circuit two years ago and making his fourth appearance in the Sindh Cup, was quick to settle down and grab a 2-0 lead.

Ahmer, usually a slow starter, cut down the deficit by winning the next frame on the pink ball. Continuing where he had left off in the third, he built up a 46 points lead in the fourth frame before chalking up a break of 55 to draw level at 2-all.

Akhlas got back into his strides and pocketed the next two frames to surge 4-2 ahead.

The two now on even terms were engaged in a keen tussle in the fifth, before Akhlas pulled ahead 5-2, by sinking the black ball and was now only a frame away from victory.

With the lead changing hands several times in the eight frame, Ahmer finally potted a difficult pink in pocket No 2 and drew closer 3-5.

Akhlas, in the ninth frame, ran up a lead of 21 points till the brown ball. Ahmer needed the remaining colours, a terrible error of judgement cost him the frame and probably the match.

Trying to sink the brown and drawing his cue ball back for the blue, his cue ball jump over the brown, over the table to leave him with a snooker and no option but to surrender the frame and the match 6-3.

Akhlaq received winners cheque of Rs15,000 while Ahmer settled with Rs8,000. The semi-finalists — Ahmed Bawany and Masood Ahmed — got Rs 2,000 each whereas the quarter-finalists — Farhan Idrees, Mohammad Amin, Danish Haroon and Mohammad Aslam — received Rs1,000. Ghulam Nabi won the Rs1,000 award for highest break of the tournament (84).

RESULT:

Mohammad Akhlas beat Ahmer Sheikh 6-3 (63-31, 48-14, 61-62, 9-112, 76-32, 46-36, 52-51, 42-50, 64-26)