KARACHI: Khurram Hussain Agha, a former Pakistan No 1 and ex-international, whose ranking has slipped on the ladder, stormed into the last eight as former world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif made another early exit in the sixth National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker Championship at the bank’s sports complex on Monday.

Giving a glimpse of his past form the Karachi-based Khurram, who is seeded 33rd after the 39th National Snooker Championship held earlier this year, jumped several places by accounting for new sensation Yasir Shehzad of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 5-3 in the best of nine frames pre quarter-finals. He was home 55-69, 56-19, 103-14, 49-20, 16-71, 61-46, 21-70, 72-35.

Khurram, who runs his snooker parlour, is drawn to meet former Asian No 2 as well as Korat Cup champion, a Thai ranking event, Mohammad Sajjad, after the latter sent Islamabad’s Shahram Changezi packing 5-3 in the other encounter. The scores were 77-70, 56-66, 29-68, 33-72, 84-28, 84-15, 67-31, 69-55. Sajjad is ranked 11th after the country’s premier snooker championship.

Top seed and reigning national champion Mohammad Asif Toba inched closer by getting the better of his namesake Mohammad Asif 5-4 (71-44, 22-65, 81-24, 66-29, 29-73, 25-90, 31-56, 80-51, 57-51).

Asif Toba now faces former Pakistan No 1 Imran Shehzad who disposed of Abu Saim rather convincingly 5-2 (16-87, 73-38, 70-41, 45-53, 61-52, 58-34, 70-31).

Former national champion and this year’s losing finalist Hamza Akbar caught the eye while conjuring two century breaks — 137, which surpassed the 134 of Sohail Shehzad, and 109 — imposing to a 5-3 victory over veteran Mohammad Yousuf.

Hamza now meets local player bearded Abdul Sattar, who gets past Rambel Gul 5-4 in another pre quarter-final the scores were 61-17, 5-67, 73-38, 59-73, 27-81, 66-26, 5-113, 56-32, 61-30.

Three-time NBP champion Asjad Iqbal also took a step closer towards retaining his title overcoming former Asian Games team-event bronze medallist Sohail Shehzad 5-4 (72-9, 61-68, 63-17, 28-64, 61-18, 14-59, 78-1, 41-73, 61-44).

His quarter-final will be against Mohammad Majid Ali who cut Zulfiqar A Qadir to size 5-2 (81-31, 63-44, 20-75, 8-88, 54-7, 66-36, 80-32).

Results:

Pre quarter-finals: Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-4 (61-17, 5-67, 73-38, 59-73, 27-81, 66-26, 5-113, 56-32, 61-30); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) bt Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab) 5-3 (82-31, 47-64, 137-0, 51-76, 52-91, 109-0, 69-27, 64-0); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Abu Saim (Punjab) 5-2 (16-87, 73-38, 70-41, 45-53, 61-52, 58-34, 70-31); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Mohammad Asif (Punjab) 5-4 (71-44, 22-65, 81-24, 66-29, 29-73, 25-90, 31-56, 80-51, 57-51); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Yasir Shehzad (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-3 (55-69, 56-19, 103-14, 49-20, 16-71, 61-46, 21-70, 72-35); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) 5-3 (77-70, 56-66, 29-68, 33-72, 84-28, 84-15, 67-31, 69-55); Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) bt Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) 5-2 (81-31, 63-44, 20-75, 8-88, 54-7, 66-36, 80-32); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) 5-4 (72-9, 61-68, 63-17, 28-64, 61-18, 14-59, 78-1, 41-73, 61-44).

Tuesday’s fixtures:

At 11am: Quarter-finals (best of nine frames)

Abdul Sattar (Sindh) v Hamza Akbar (Punjab), Imran Shehzad (Punjab) v Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab), Khurram Agha (Sindh) v Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab), Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) v Asjad Iqbal (Punjab).

Published in Dawn, September 16th , 2014