November 29, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 18, 1428

KARACHI, Nov 28: Seven top ranked cueists along with a qualifier stormed into the last eight of 11th KC Open Snooker Challenge at the Karachi Club on Wednesday. Those who have made it to the knockout quarter-finals are Saleh Mohammad, Imran Shahzad, Khurram Agha, Naveen Perwani, Shehram Changezi, Abu Saim, Vishan Gir and qualifier Qasim Kamani.

The best of nine frames quarter-finals will be played simultaneously on Thursday at 3.00pm.

Seventh seed Abu Saim pulled off an upset when he blanked fourth seed Khurram Agha 4-0 in the last league match to top the group on Wednesday.

The scores were 61-34, 103-0, 69-29, 83-24.

Defending champion Naveen Perwani who captured his first national crown earlier this year was extended to six frames by Islamabad-based Shehram Changezi on his way to registering a 4-2 triumph.

Naveen was home 70-68, 66-29, 28-73, 72-30, 49-78, 58-18.

Similarly, Qasim Kamani snatched two frames from top seed Saleh Mohammad before bowing out 2-4. The former had won the first phase handing a 4-3 defeat to Ahad Ali Khan.

Second seed Imran Shahzad also conceded two frames while notching up 4-2 win against losing finalist of 32nd nationals, Vishan Gir.

Results:

Baqar Kamani bt Abdul Wahid Shaikh 4-2 (33-80, 60-57, 65-48, 67-27, 63-94, 53-29); Abu Saim bt Khurram Agha 4-0 (61-34, 103-0, 69-29, 83-24); Naveen Perwani bt Shehram Changezi 4-2 (70-68, 66-29, 28-73, 72-30, 49-78, 58-18); Salman Merchant w/o Asim Ghani; Muhammad Ali bt Kashif Jaffrani 4-1 (58-68, 66-21, 57-29, 71-41, 68-35); Imran Shahzad bt Vishan Gir 4-2 (66-46, 11-88, 73-62, 83-1, 30-64, 80-48); Saleh Mohammad bt Qasim Kamani 4-2 (68-11, 32-49, 97-0, 50-71, 69-29, 68-56); Ahad Ali Khan bt Azeem Yousuf 4-1 (56-38, 48-61, 81-57, 56-20, 55-41).

Thursday’s fixtures: (quarter-finals) 3.00pm.

Saleh Mohammad v Shehram Changezi; Khurram Agha v Imran Shahzad; Abu Saim v Qasim Kamani; Vishan Gir v Naveen Perwani.