August 24, 2006	Thursday	Rajab 28, 1427

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KARACHI, Aug 23: Top three seeds asserted their superiority when they stormed into the last four of AKD Snooker Cup by disposing off their respective opponents in the quarter-finals at the Karachi Club on Wednesday.

Ninth seed Mohammad Asif completed the semi-final line-up after other seeded players made unceremonious exit.

Top seed Imran Shehzad blanked fifth seed Sohail Shehzad 5-0 cracking two blistering breaks of 98 and 88 in the third and fourth frames. The scores were 75-68, 68-15, 98-4, 88-0, 78-68.

This was Imran’s second successive victory against Sohail in two months. Earlier, he struggled to beat him 6-4 in semi-final of Style ranking tournament in June.

Imran, who finished runners-up in two ranking events earlier this year, is drawn to meet third seed Mohammad Yousuf who edged past 12th seed Vishan Gir 5-3 on the next table. Yousuf was home 65-53, 10-116, 101-8, 71-53, 68-12, 37-88, 53-73, 68-31.

Despite facing defeat, Vishan stole the limelight with a fine century break of 111 in the second frame surpassing the break of 102 piled by Imran on the opening day.

Yousuf also chalked up a fluent break of 94 in the third frame.

Reigning national champion and second seed, Khurram Agha, came from the jaws of defeat to down Rambel Gul 5-4 in the agonising battle the scores being 92-5, 81-11, 37-64, 68-20, 45-58, 50-74, 35-59, 54-49, 70-31.

The former Pakistan No 1 took a 3-1 lead but the NWFP Cup champion picked up the fifth, sixth and seventh frames to surge ahead 4-3. Finally Khurram sealed the fate taking the last two frames.

He now faces Asif who accounted for Salman Shaikh 5-1 with the scores being 57-13, 40-67, 71-35, 67-58, 64-27, 62-17.

Results: (quarter-finals)

Khurram Agha bt Rambel Gul 5-4 (92-5, 81-11, 37-64, 68-20, 45-58, 50-74, 35-59, 54-49, 70-31); Mohammad Yousuf bt Vishan Gir 5-3 (65-53, 10-116, 101-8, 71-53, 68-12, 37-88, 53-73, 68-31); Mohammad Asif bt Salman Shaikh 5-1 (57-13, 40-67, 71-35, 67-58, 64-27, 62-17); Imran Shehzad bt Sohail Shehzad 5-0 (75-68, 68-15, 98-4, 88-0, 78-68).

Thursday’s fixtures: (semi-finals): Mohammad Yousuf v Imran Shehzad; Khurram Agha v Mohammad Asif at 12.00noon.