April 17, 2002	Wednesday	Safar 3, 142

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KARACHI, April 16: Wild card entry Abu Saim made it to the last 16 of the Sixth Red & White Style Snooker Championship, coming out a 4-3 winner against Punjab’s Saqib Butt, at the Karachi Gymkhana Tuesday.

The 23-year-old failed to reach the last 16 by a frame in the pre-National tournament two months ago after winning three out of his four matches and was a relieved young man joining sixth seed Imran Shahzad, presently perched on top in Group F. The two meet in their last pool match on Wednesday to decide the winner of the group.

Although the top eight seeds were out of action on Tuesday, all, except seventh seed Atiq Latif Bux, have booked their respective berths in the last 16.

From Group A, Khurram Hussain Agha will be joined either M. Faiq Malik or Fahad Asif. Both the Punjab cueists won their matches Tuesday. Faiq beat Younus Amir Bux 4-3, after the latter led 2-1 and 3-2, at one stage of the game, while Fahad Asif accounted for Noman Awan 4-0. The winner of Wednesday’s clash between these two, will decide the runner-up in the Group.

Defending champion and second seed Farhan Mirza will perhaps be joined by Punjab’s A. Qadeer Butt, a 4-3 winner over Ahmer Shaikh, although the latter still has a game in hand.

In Group C, the former world and Asian amateur champion Mohammad Yousuf has to beat Raja Rashad (Punjab) by a 4-2 scoreline Wednesday for the latter to reach the last 16. In case Yousuf wins by a 4-1 margin, then Balochistan’s Mustafa Haider will sneak into the pre-quarter final.

Mustafa had a walk over against Atif Mughal, while Raja Rashad received severe setback when he went down 2-4 to Raees Khan, having the satisfaction of winning his first match after three outings.

In Group D, left-hander Vishan Gir had to break into a sweat to finally get the better of Shadab Baig 4-3. This hard earned victory enabled Vishan join fourth seed Naveen Perwani in the last 16.

The two clash in the last pool match to decide the leader of the group.

Former world No.3 Saleh Mohammad has already booked his place in the qualifying rounds from Group E and should be joined by Amit Parwani, who scraped through a 4-3 winner over Balochistan’s Kamran Shah.

In Group G, Arifullah scoring his second straight 4-0 triumph, this time over Punjab’s Mohammad Nazir is through to the last 16.

However, if seventh seed Atiq Latif Bux beats Arifullah in his last league encounter, he will squeeze through to the qualifying rounds. But should Arifullah triumph, Atiq will have to bow out to Punjab’s Mohammad Nazir, Atiq’s 4-3 conqueror on Monday evening.

Eighth seed Shakeel Bhatti also reached the last 16 and will be joined most probably by ninth seed Minhas Malik, a 4-1 winner over Faisal Essa.

Danish Haroon was engaged in his fourth straight match that went the full distance, when he beat Punjab’s Azeem Akhtar 4-3.

Ahmed Bawany after two cruel setbacks, finally hit the winning trail, while downing Punjab’s Farhan Noor 4-1, while the same could be said about Sindh’s Mohammad Amin, a 4-1 winner over NWFP’s talented cueist Rambel Gul.

Results:

Mohammad Amin (Sindh) beat Rambel Gul (NWFP) 4-1: 63/22, 62/14, 45/62, 52/15, 58/30. Danish Haroon (Sindh) beat Azeem Akhtar (Punjab) 4-3: 69/19, 49/61, 62/14, 76/1, 39/59, 69/27, 68/19. Ahmed Bawany (Sindh) beat Farhan Noor (Punjab_ 4-1: 64/57, 72/37, 77/50, 48/65, 59/8. Fahad Asif (Punjab) beat Noman Awan (NWFP) 4-0: 44/33, 62/27, 55/50, 50/21. Abu Saim (Punjab) beat Saqib Butt (Punjab) 4-3: 16/56, 71/35, 56/32, 69/15, 35/49, 63/70, 91/36. Arifullah (NWFP) beat Mohammad Nazir (Punjab) 4-0: 57/31, 45/32, 60/41, 58/24. Minhas Malik (Sindh) beat Faisal Essa (Sindh) 4-1: 48/70, 63/20, 61/16, 66/45, 61/0. Amit Parwani (Sindh) beat Kamran Shah (Balochistan) 4-3: 64/52, 32/63, 63/7, 70/77, 72/44, 42/56, 65/9. A. Qadeer Butt (Punjab) beat Ahmer Shaikh (Sindh) 4-3: 54/46, 25/72, 20/55, 58/47, 9/69, 58/45. (First frame awarded to Qadeer as Ahmer turned up late for his match). Raees Khan (Punjab) beat Raja Rashid (Punjab) 4-2: 51/37, 39/62, 61/37, 73/57, 40/62, 73/29. Vishan Gir (Sindh) beat Shadab Baig (Sindh) 4-3: 48/58, 28/87, 57/22, 61/30, 67/37, 15/45, 69/30. M. Faiq Malik (Punjab) beat Younus Amir Bux 4-3: 28/75, 73/44, 33/76, 58/43, 0/90, 80/17, 46/35. Naseer Khan (Balochistan) w/o Inam ur Rehman (NWFP). Khurram Khan (Punjab) w/o Nadir Khan (NWFP). Mustafa Hyder (Balochistan) w/o Atif Mughal (Punjab). Irfan Rashid Khan (Sindh) w/o Hassan Shuja (Punjab).