KARACHI: Former international Sohail Shehzad did Sindh proud when he humbled country’s top cueist Imran Shehzad 5-2 as defending champion Hamza Akbar toppled former world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif 5-3 to step into semi-finals of the 39th National Snooker Championship at Karachi Gymkhana on Saturday.

In the two other matches, outsider Mohammad Asif Toba, who topped group C finishing ahead of third seed and a former national champion Shahid Aftab, sent seventh ranked Mohammad Bilal packing 5-2 while three-time NBP Cup champion Asjad Iqbal thumped bearded Abdul Sattar 5-3 to complete the semi-final quartet.

Sohail, who rejuvenated his act after staying out of the last two ranking event last year, staged a commendable comeback from 1-2 down to post 89-33, 62-65, 68-79, 62-16, 91-25, 61-17, 95-1 victory over Imran who once again failed to end the title jinx.

Sohail rounded of the match mustering a splendid break of 82 in the seventh and last frame.

’My target is to regain selection in the national team for international events and win laurels,” the 30-year-iold Sohail, who runs a snooker parlour, told Dawn.

Sohail, who had 2010 Asian Games team event bronze medal under his belt, said most of the cueists were lacking serious approach in their game due to government’s apathy with international medal winners.

Meanwhile, Imran was of full praise for Sohail. “He played outclass and didn’t gave me chance to make comeback.

Sohail is drawn to meet Asif Toba in Sunday’s first semi-final after the latter accounted for Bilal by the identical score line. Toba was home 91-29, 0-90, 67-34, 36-61, 72-49, 70-5, 61-47.

Defending champion Hamza maintained his ascendency crossing yet another hurdle by getting the better of Asif who has faltered for the second year in succession. It is pertinent to mention that Asif failed to go beyond the league in the country’s premier championship last year.

Hamza, who crowned the national title in his maiden appearance last year, was home 81-39, 22-60, 24-79, 74-57, 66-23, 43-79, 82-8, 97-1. His triumph includes two elegant breaks of 81 and 89 in the first and eighth frames respectively.

He is slated to meet Asjad Iqbal in the second semi-final as the latter whipped Sindh’s Sattar 76-10, 69-8, 50-34, 25-66, 66-6, 0-85, 27-56, 77-56.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Imran Shehzad (Punjab) 5-2 (89-33, 62-65, 68-79, 62-16, 91-25, 61-17, 95-1); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) 5-2 (91-29, 0-90, 67-34, 36-61, 72-49, 70-5, 61-47); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) bt Mohammad Asif (Punjab) 5-3 (81-39, 22-60, 24-79, 74-57, 66-23, 43-79, 82-8, 97-1); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Abdul Sattar (Sindh) 5-3 (76-10, 69-8, 50-34, 25-66, 66-6, 0-85, 27-56, 77-56).

Sunday’s fixtures:

Semi-finals (best of 11 frames)

At 10.00am: Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) v Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab).

At 1.00pm: Hamza Akbar (Punjab) v Asjad Iqbal (Punjab).