ISLAMABAD, April 20 Thirty-two top ranking national players will test their mettle when the National Ranking Snooker Championship starts at the PSB Snooker Hall from Thursday.

National players including defending champion Mohammad Sajjad, Shahram Changezi, Mohammad Asif and Naveen Pervani will feature in the championship.

President of the Pakistan Billiard and Snooker Association (PBSA) Alamgir Sheikh informed the media on Tuesday that the tournament would be second of its kind to be held in Islamabad in three years.

He said the players were divided in eight groups while former world amateur champion Mohammad Yousuf would also feature in the seven-day event.

Alamgir asserted the PBSA was facing financial constraints mainly due to lack of sponsorship.

He said, “The association is facing difficulty to meet its increasing expenses from the annual funds injected by the Pakistan Sports Board.”

He insisted that snooker was a medal winning sport and government sponsorship would increase the chances of winning international events.

“The PBSA is sending two players for the upcoming Asian Snooker Championship, slated to be held in Thailand,” he said.

Meanwhile, the sponsors of the championship presented Rs500,000 cheque to the PBSA president to hold a successful event while the winner of the championship will be handed over Rs50,000.