KARACHI: Four players including three former national champions completed the semi-final quartet by winning their matches in the 40th National Snooker Championship at Hotel Movenpick on Saturday.

The three former champions were Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Sajjad and Hamza Akbar besides Shahram Changezi.

Former world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif, who is struggling with his form and not amongst the top four, rejuvenated his act to make into the last four while inflicting 5-3 defeat on veteran and former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha. Asif’s triumph includes two breaks of 61 and 83 in the sixth and eighth frames. Final scores were 41-58, 86-9, 69-27, 40-58, 65-26, 83-10, 20-59, 103-9.

Asif will be up against Islamabad’s 12th seed Shahram Changezi who accounted for wildcard Babar Masih by the identical scoreline of 5-3 in another quarter-final. Shahram come up with a century break of 104 in the sixth frame on the second day running after his 109 against Hunain Amir on Friday. He showed great fighting qualities and from 2-3 down, turned the tables on his opponent taking the next three frames. He was home 24-93, 63-16, 28-105, 87-0, 1-95, 116-0, 72-40, 55-8.

Pakistan No 1 Sajjad, who claimed back-to-back ranking titles last year in addition to playing world amateur snooker championship final at Bangalore in Nov, sent Aakash Rafique packing 5-2 to justify his credentials. He won the dual 74-41, 77-12, 64-58, 29-62, 75-0, 35-89, 69-54.

Sajjad now meets former champion Hamza who prevailed over Mohammad Imran 5-3 in the last quarter-final. The former was home 94-13, 67-59, 36-62, 36-64, 64-19, 78-46, 56-57, 52-11.

Results:

Quarter-finals:

Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Babar Masih (Punjab) 5-3 (24-93, 63-16, 28-105, 87-0, 1-95, 116-0, 72-40, 55-8); Mohammmad Asif (Punjab) bt Khurram Agha (Sindh) 5-3 (41-58, 86-9, 69-27, 40-58, 65-26, 83-10, 20-59, 103-9); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) bt Mohammad Imran (Punjab) 5-3 (94-13, 67-59, 36-62, 36-64, 64-19, 78-46, 56-57, 52-11) ; Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-2 (74-41, 77-12, 64-58, 29-62, 75-0, 35-89, 69-54).

Sunday’s fixtures:

Semi-finals (best of 11 frames)

At 10am: Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) v Mohammad Asif (Punjab)

At 1pm: Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) v Hamza Akbar (Punjab).

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2015

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