KARACHI: Two lower-ranked cueists — Sharjeel Mehmood of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and former national champion Mohammad Asif Toba of Punjab — sent shockwaves to their rivals on the opening day of the eighth National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker Championship which commenced at the bank’s sports complex on Monday.

Ranked 15th, Sharjeel stole the limelight while bulldozing former world amateur champion and seventh seed Mohammad Asif 4-1 that included a splendid break of 140 in the fifth frame.

With an exception of fourth frame, the stocky built Frontier cueist didn’t allow the former world champion to settle down as he won 79-51, 69-24, 72-36, 51-74, 140-0.

Earlier, while registering 4-2 triumph over province-mate Rambel Gul in the second session, Sharjeel sent a clear message to the contestants that he has come here well prepared and may leap places. He demolished Rambel 19-75, 43-15, 23-60, 73-60, 59-50, 74-0.

When Sharjeel was up against Asif, 14th ranked Toba was seen punishing the former world No 2 and sixth seed Sajjad on the adjacent table. Toba was home 79-7, 12-58, 64-1, 98-18, 64-1.

Former Pakistan No 1 Imran Shehzad also hammered a century break of 116 in the second frame against Sindh’s Ian Mark John but the joy was overshadowed by the two upsets in the concluding session.

Imran won the battle 83-15, 119-0, 20-80, 65-27, 80-25.

Results:

Babar Masih (Punjab) bt Abdul Raheem (Punjab) 4-2 (39-77, 72-8, 61-40, 65-29, 17-108, 68-6); Sohail Shahzad (Sindh) bt Mohammad Saqib (Punjab) 4-1 (64-21, 81-0, 69-35, 33-84, 73-38); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Muzammil Khan (Sindh) 4-0 (67-48, 58-14, 86-6, 72-2); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Haris Tahir (Punjab) 4-0 (97-0, 72-10, 94-9, 64-6);Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) 4-3 (64-10, 10-73, 0-68, 81-04, 93-22, 0-69, 69-29); Sharjeel Mahmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-2 (19-75, 43-15, 23-60, 73-60, 59-50, 74-0); Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh) bt Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) 4-2 (61-66, 67-31, 68-13, 60-25, 0-70, 64-16); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Ian Mark John (Sindh) 4-1 (83-15, 119-0, 20-80, 65-27, 80-25); Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) bt Mohammad Iftekhar Khan (Sindh) 4-0 (58-25, 82-34, 97-0, 82-18); Mohammad Faheem (Punjab) bt Abdul Sattar (Sindh) 4-2 (68-17, 62-6, 33-63, 24-72, 73-64, 59-7); Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) bt Abdul Jawed (Punjab) 4-0 (93-50, 71-36, 60-70, 74-0); Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Mohammad Afzal (Punjab) 4-3 (97-13, 25-56, 55-70, 75-67, 83-43, 39-68, 64-7); Sharjeel Mahmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Mohammad Asif (Punjab) 4-1 (79-51, 69-24, 72-36, 51-74, 140-0,); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) 4-1 (79-7, 12-58, 64-1, 98-18, 64-1); Abu Saim (Punjab) bt Ian Mark John (Sindh) 4-3 (30-67, 4-110, 69-23, 71-41, 72-29, 40-83, 86-0); Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Mohammad Saqib (Punjab) 4-1 (55-40, 38-73, 62-48, 61-9, 89-1);

Tuesday’s fixtures:

At 10am: Mohammad Majid Ali v Abdul Raheem, Mohammad Faheem v Mohammad Saqib, Abdul Jawed v Muzammil Khan, Shahram Changezi v Haris Tahir.

At 12noon: Babar Masih v Mohammad Iftikhar Khan, Sohail Shehzad v Rambel Gul, Asjad Iqbal v Khurram Agha, Mohammad Bilal v Imran Shehzad.

At 2pm: Shahid Aftab v Zulfiqar A Qadir, Mohammad Asif v Mohammad Saqib, Mohammad Sajjad v Muzammil Khan, Abu Saim v Haris Tahir.

At 4pm: Sohail Shehzad v Abdul Sattar, Asjad Iqbal v Mohammad Ijaz, Mohammad Bilal v Mohammad Afzal.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2016