KARACHI: Reigning Asian champion Hamza Akbar, who is currently busy playing in the professional circuit in London, will miss the 41st edition of the National Snooker Championship starting here on Feb 15.

“Hamza is currently in London playing the professional circuit as a result of which he will not be able to defend his crown in the upcoming national snooker,” a spokesman for the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association said on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Hamza from Faisalabad rose to fame after winning the Asian Snooker Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last year when he defeated former IBSF world champion Pankaj Advani of India 7-6 in the final.

Hamza is rated the most promising cueist and is second to Mohammad Yousuf to win the continental title.

Country’s top 51 cueists including former world amateur champion Mohammad Asif and last year’s IBSF world champion Mohammad Sajjad will be the star attraction in the 11-day competition.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2016