KARACHI, May 28: Unseeded Shah Khan from the NWFP, toppled seeded Imran Shehzad to book a berth in the quarterfinal in the Seventh Red & White Style Snooker Championship played on Wednesday.

Shah plundered the first three frames aided with a break of 64 in the second, with Imran trying to get into his strides.

Suddenly Imran was on fire. With two flowing breaks of 60 and 42, in the fourth and fifth frames, he grabbed the next two frames and continuing on an aggressive mode, not only levelled the scores 3-3, but also took over the lead 4-3 for the first time in the match, only a frame away from victory.

Shah never buckled down. With a mixture of caution and aggression he fought back to level the scores at 4-4.

Shah then scored 25 points on the trot on his first visit to the table. With two visits Imran cut down that lead 25/18. The game now progressed slowly with both cueists waiting for an opening to make a kill. With only one red and the coloured balls on the table, Shah was leading by only 13 points 41/28.

However, potting the red with the pink and then sinking yellow to the pink, Shah came through the winner.

In another match that went the full distance when Nauman Awan from the NWFP bundled out his more fancied compatriot Rambel Gul.

After running up a comfortable 3-1 lead, Nauman forged further ahead 4-2, but seemed a bit rattled when Rambel, fighting his way back into contention, came abreast at 4-4.

Suddenly in the final frame the spark in Rambel’s game seemed to fizzle out. Making many unforced errors, Rambel let Nauman off the hook who moved away to win the final frame 50/23.

Top seed Khurram Hussain Agha also had his moments of trial. Meeting Punjab’s Mohammad Nazir, the top seed was trailing 2-1. But breaks of 45 and 54, enabled him to win the next three frames taking over the lead 4-2.

Nazir in a last ditch effort came back strongly chalking up 54 points in the seventh frame to move closer 4-3. But Khurram timing his victory to perfection won the eighth frame with ease to emerge a 5-3 winner.

The defending champion and third seed Saleh Mohammad was also tested to the fullest. Meeting Punjab’s Abu Saim for the fourth time, Saleh lost the opening frame on the black ball. After levelling the scores 1-1, Saleh lost the third frame with the black ball deciding the issue in Abu’s favour.

As the two fought on a neck and neck duel, Saleh was fortunate to take the next three hard fought frames with the black ball coming into the limelight once again.

Although only a frame away from victory leading 4-2, Saleh seemed to be in a state of bother with the young lad from Sialkot clinging on like a leech.

Beginning the seventh frame with a sparkling break of 68 points, Saleh forced Abu to throw in the towel with three reds and the six coloured balls still on the table.

Fourth seed Naveen Perwani began his match against Vishan Gir with a steady break of 58. Although Vishan did level the scores 1-1, it was to be his last hurrah. Naveen continuing to play fluently came through a 5-1 winner, with the last black ball deciding the match in his favour after Vishan levelled the scores 53 all, in a last gasp effort.

Punjab’s Mohammad Asif stroking breaks of 61 and 62 in the second and third frames, accounted for Imran Mughal, a promising lad also from Lahore by a 5-1 margin.

The same could be said about fifth seed Atiq Latif Bux, who breezed past Balochistan’s Mustafa Hyder 5-1, after conceding the opening frame.

But the most dangerous looking player in the hall on Wednesday was undoubtedly the former world and Asian amateur champion Mohammad Yousuf.

Seeded at No.2, Yousuf dropped the first frame against NWFP’s Arifullah. Stung into action, the 11-time National champion registered splendid breaks of 52, 83, 44 and 45 in the next four frames as he reduced the 12th seed to a mere passenger coming through with a 5-1 victory.

Yousuf will now take on Nauman Awan in the quarter-finals and in a match that promises plenty of excitement, Saleh Mohammad meets Atiq Latif Bux. Top seed Khurram Hussain Agha will be going all out to avenge his last defeat in a final against Naveen Perwani, who will also go all out to prove to many, that his last victory over Khurram was no flash in the pan.

In another exciting encounter, Shah Khan will match his skill against Mohammad Asif. Both cueists are oozing with talent.

Following were the pre-quarterfinal results: Khurram Hussain Agha bt Mohammad Nazir 5-3: 25/66, 68/57, 49/77, 65/31, 53/7, 64/16, 8/112, 75/17; Shah Khan bt Imran Shehzad 5-4: 84/64, 69/20, 74/35, 8/100, 21/91, 16/57, 14/62, 65/20, 68/28; Naveen Perwani bt Vishan Gir 5-1: 78/48, 59/28, 9/80, 71/38, 59/45, 60/53; MohAmmad Asif bt Imran Mughal 5-1: 100/34, 26/68, 69/0, 69/33, 71/54, 74/31; Nauman Awan bt Rambel Gul 5-4: 50/48, 66/37, 29/57, 69/16, 44/67, 57/43, 24/61, 46/57, 50/23; Saleh Mohammad bt Abu Saim 5-2: 55/57, 51/38, 54/58, 65/57, 59/58, 51/45, 68/1; Mohammad Yousuf bt Arifullah 5-1: 27/55, 63/7, 78/35, 83/15, 68/27, 62/19; Atiq Latif Bux bt Mustafa Hyder 5-1: 46/49, 78/51, 64/12, 73/34, 71/27, 53/12.

Following is the quarterfinal lineup to be played on Wednesday in the best of nine frames commencing at 10.00 a.m.

Shah Khan v Mohammad Asif; Khurram Hussain Agha v Naveen Perwani; Mohammad Yousuf v Nauman Awan; Atiq Latif Bux v Saleh Mohammad.

The semifinals will be played on Wednesday afternoon at 3.00 p.m. in the best of 11 frames.

The final is scheduled for Friday, May 30, in the best of 11 frames.