KARACHI, June 2: Two of Pakistan’s most celebrated cueists Saleh Mohammad and Mohammad Yousuf will represent the country in the 21st Asian Snooker Championship which gets under way in Pune (India) from July 3. It was learnt that the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association has already received the necessary NOC from the Ministry of Sports for participating in the forthcoming event which ends on July 10.

Saleh, Pakistan’s top ranked cueist, is currently the world amateur No.2 and Yousuf, ranked No.2 in the country is the former world and Asian Champion. A formidable combination indeed.

Shahnawaz Khan, Vice-President of the Pakistan Billiard and Snooker Association (PBSA), is the third member in the squad as the team delegate.

Earlier, Pakistan will play India, in the third snooker series played between these two great rivals which begins in Karachi from June 9 to 11, 2005 at the Karachi Club.

Saleh and Yousuf are also in the Pakistan team for the Snooker Challenge 2005, which also includes former Pakistan captain Naveen Perwani and newcomer Imran Shehzad, a cueist with immense talent.

Alamgir Shaikh is the camp commandant and Shahnawaz Khan the tournament director.

India will be represented by their teenage world champion Pankaj Advani, Alok Kumar, a former Asian champion and a great asset in the Indian side, Manan Chandra and Devandra Joshi.

Former world billiard champion Michael Ferreria will be the manager of the Indian squad.

At present the series is tied at 1-1. In the first Peace Cup held over here at the Karachi Club, Pakistan beat India, but when facing the Indian squad on their own turf, Pakistan was comprehensively beaten.