KARACHI: Pakistani cueists completed their engagements in the fourth Asian 6-Reds snooker championship which reached the semi final stage at the Iranian city of Kish Island on Tuesday.

According to results, after making it to the knockout round, the Pakistani quartet fell victim one by one to the sheer surprise of the pundits.

Former world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif and reigning national champion Hamza Akbar who emerged groups champions were the first to make exit in the last-16 round.

Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh halted the winning run of Asif registering an emphatic 5-2 victory (51-1, 49-21, 75-0, 57-15, 0-61, 0-60, 55-30) while Pakistan No 2 Shahram avenged his national championship loss by getting the better of Hamza in the fully stretched battle 5-4. He won the duel 52-0, 4-48, 46-18, 0-64, 52-4, 0-38, 38-30, 37-45, 52-8.

Earlier, Shahram who lost two of the four group matches sent Afghanistan’s Mohammad Raees packing 5-3 in the last-18 round.

Joining Shahram in the quarters was losing finalist of the IBSF world snooker championship Mohammad Sajjad who accounted for Iraq’s Ali Jalel Ali 5-2 ((40-0, 13-38, 37-5, 0-58, 53-20, 30-15, 39-0).

Finally, the last two Pakistanis met their destiny when former Asian champion Saleh Mohammad coasted to 6-2 victory over Sajjad (40-9, 41-15, 42-19, 37-32, 40-10, 0-43, 0-50, 38-8) while host country’s Soheil Vahedi routed Shahram 6-4 ((35-27, 5-35, 53-9, 30-17, 43-0, 11-39, 20-45, 17-20, 43-5, 47-9) to cruise into semis.

Pakistan will now compete in the third Asian Team Event which will commence from Thursday.

Results:

Last 18-round: Shahram Changezi bt Mohammad Raees (Afghanistan) 5-3 (0-61, 47-1, 41-17, 30-38, 28-27, 3-62, 56-10, 42-12, 0-61).

Last 16-round:

Mohammad Sajjad bt Ali Jalel Ali (Iraq) 5-2 (40-0, 13-38, 37-5, 0-58, 53-20, 30-15, 39-0); Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) bt Mohammad Asif 5-2 (51-1, 49-21, 75-0, 57-15, 0-61, 0-60, 55-30); Shahram Changezi bt Hamza Akbar 5-4 (52-0, 4-48, 46-18, 0-64, 52-4, 0-38, 38-30, 37-45, 52-8).

Quarter-finals:

Saleh Mohammed (Afghanistan) bt Mohammad Sajjad 6-2 (40-9, 41-15, 42-19, 37-32, 40-10, 0-43, 0-50, 38-8); Soheil Vahedi (Iran) bt Shahram Changezi 6-4 (35-27, 5-35, 53-9, 30-17, 43-0, 11-39, 20-45, 17-20, 43-5, 47-9).

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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