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| August 25, 2006 | Friday | Rajab 29, 1427 |
Yousuf to meet Khurram for top prize: Snooker Cup
KARACHI, Aug 24: Veteran Mohammad Yousuf on Thursday taught a lesson to Pakistan No 1 Imran Shehzad when he subdued him 6-2 to make it to the final of the AKD Snooker Cup at the Amir Bux billiards hall of Karachi Club.
This was Yousuf’s second successive triumph against Imran in as many months and by accomplishing the back-to-back wins he proved that his last performance was not a fluke.
The 13-time national champion celebrated his return to form when he downed his opponent 6-5 to capture the Style Cup ending his two-year title drought.
Yousuf was home 65-29, 46-71, 83-22, 63-26, 23-72, 65-12, 54-41, 63-54 in the best of 11 frames pre-final.
He now meets reigning national champion Khurram Agha who too prevailed 6-1 over Mohammad Asif in a one-sided match. The scores being 77-5,75-1, 57-51, 56-48, 68-41, 2-116, 64-28.
With a string of victories behind him the 54-year-old Yousuf opened the match on a winning note, taking the first frame 65-29 only to see Imran neutralising it with 71-46 win in the next.
The former world champion then picked up the following two frames 83-22, 63-26, cracking a break of 72 in the third to surge 3-1 ahead. Imran grabbed the fifth frame 72-23 to reduce the 2-3. Keeping his cool Yousuf clinch the sixth, seventh and eighth frames 65-12, 54-41, 63-54 to emerge victorious.
Imran, 30, who credited him with fluent breaks in the earlier matches, was totally off-colour which was evident from his low scores. With this defeat, he is certain to lose his No 1 slot in the next rankings which he had for a short stint.
Former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha conceded just one frame in his comfortable victory against Asif.
This will be his third final in four ranking tournaments this year. He pocketed the Nationals and Pakistan Cue Masters before being knocked out by eventual champion Yousuf in the quarter-finals of the Style Cup.
Results: (semi-final)
Khurram Agha bt Mohammad Asif 6-1 (77-5, 75-1, 57-51, 56-48, 68-41, 2-116, 64-28); Mohammad Yousuf bt Imran Shehzad 6-2 (65-29, 46-71, 83-22, 63-26, 23-72, 65-12, 54-41, 63-54).
Friday’s fixtures:
Mohammad Yousuf v Khurram Agha (final) 3.00pm.
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