KARACHI, Nov 21: History of sorts was written in the annals of the game as the third day of the fourth national ranking snooker cup witnessed century breaks galore at Sheraton hotel on Thursday, penultimate day of the league matches.
No less than seven spectacular century breaks were registered on a single day which is never heard of since long in the domestic circuit. Thursday’s breaks took the three day tally to 10. Three century breaks were scored on the opening day.
The cueists who earned honours of compiling century breaks on Thursday were Shahid Aftab (122), Farhan Noor (100 and 101), Mohammad Sajjad (133), Mohammad Asif (103), Asjad Iqbal (112) and Mohammad Yousuf (115).
Three cueists — lower ranked Babar Masih, and two former national champions — Mohammad Sajjad and Mohammad Asif — have won five of the six matches they have played so far. However, only two of them may qualify for the last four from group A on completion of league on Friday as top seed Shahid Aftab who has lost two games can bring an element of surprise.
Contrary to group A, five players are in contention for two semi-final slots from group B. The five who have two defeats apiece under their belts are Imran Shehzad, Asjad Iqbal, Hamza Akbar, Khurram Agha and Mohammad Bilal.
Results:
Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Amir Tariq (Punjab) 4-1 (41-73, 61-47, 123-1, 73-62, 90-16); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Farhan Noor (Punjab) 4-2 (9-72, 71-17, 0-101, 66-33, 72-6, 133-0); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Abu Saim (Punjab) 4-2 (97-23, 63-46, 72-51, 0-93, 31-92, 83-40); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) bt Abdul Sattar (Sindh) 4-2 (56-58, 54-41, 56-68, 73-37, 97-0, 74-37); Mohsin Amin (Punjab) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-3 (65-51, 44-54, 28-60, 22-56, 81-43, 62-51, 57-46); Babar Masih (Punjab) bt Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab) 4-1 (54-48, 31-76, 75-34, 66-4, 71-64); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) 4-2 (54-57, 78-13, 55-69, 75-24, 52-42, 71-49); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) 4-0 (76-22, 80-43, 80-0, 62-1); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Farhan Noor (Punjab) 4-1 (67-9, 71-32, 99-0, 0-105, 74-29); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) 4-0 (53-42, 67-15, 68-8, 55-10); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) bt Imran Shehzad (Punjab) 4-2 (83-38, 66-28, 82-1, 41-70, 61-65, 72-49) ; Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) 4-0 (68-8, 67-12, 61-15, 64-19); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-1 (24-72, 69-31, 119-0, 78-33, 75-65); Babar Masih (Punjab) bt Mohsin Amin (Punjab) 4-1 (45-56, 66-33, 83-18, 68-57, 75-1); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Khurram Agha (Sindh) 4-1 (0-82, 68-7, 127-0, 95-20, 78-9); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) 4-0 (62-58, 56-7, 57-47, 63-43); Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab) bt Amir Tariq (Punjab) 4-2 (58-52, 67-12, 36-69, 52-63, 119-4, 77-36); Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) bt Abu Saim (Punjab) 4-0 (53-4, 63-56, 56-51, 58-51).
Friday’s fixtures:
At 10.00am: Farhan Noor (Punjab) v Mohsin Amin (Punjab); Amir Tariq (Punjab) v Babar Masih (Punjab); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) v Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab); Abu Saim (Punjab) v Mohammad Bilal (Punjab).
At 12.00noon: Shahid Aftab (Punjab) v Mohammad Asif (Punjab); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) v Amir Tariq (Punjab); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) v Asjad Iqbal (Punjab); Abdul Sattar (Sindh) v Abu Saim (Punjab).
At 2.00pm: Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) v Babar Masih (Punjab); Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab) v Mohsin Amin (Punjab); Khurram Agha (Sindh) v Mohammad Bilal (Punjab); Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) v Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab).
At 4.00pm: Shahid Aftab (Punjab) v Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) v Farhan Noor (Punjab); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) v Abdul Sattar (Sindh); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) v Hamza Akbar (Punjab).
At 6.00pm: Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) v Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab); Khurram Agha (Sindh) v Sultan Mohammad (Sindh).
