KARACHI: Afghanistan’s Saleh Mohammad, who ended his long title draught by capturing the Asian crown in the city last year, has been top seeded in the draw of the 30th Asian Snooker Championship which is being played at Fujairah, UAE, from April 26 to May 3.

As many as 73 cueists representing 23 countries will vie for honours in the annual contest. They have been drawn into 16 groups.

The competing nations include Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Qatar, Jordan, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Korea, India, Afghanistan, UAE, Thailand, Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Chinese Taipei, Philippines, Mongolia, Syria, Pakistan and China.

Four countries namely Afghanistan, Syria, China and Iran have fielded four cueists apiece while the rest will be represented by three players each.

It is pertinent to mention that Saleh, who lost the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) world amateur snooker championship final to Indian Pankaj Advani in the past while representing Pakistan, carved out 7-2 victory over Syrian Omar Al Kojah on May 3 last year to win the Asian title.

Pakistan will be represented by national champion Mohammad Asif Toba, Hamza Akbar and Asjad Iqbal.

Groups:

A: Saleh Mohammed (Afghanistan), Enkhjargal Enkhbaatar (Mongolia), Dharminder Singh Lilly (India), Saad Surukah (Iraq).

B: Omar Al Kojah (Syria), Laith Alnaser (Jordan), Punit Saqer (India), Ahmed Abdullah Asseri (Saudi Arabia).

C: Zhao Xintong (China), Ahmed Shehab (UAE), Saeed Abooyesani (Iran), Yuttapop Pakpoj (Thailand).

D: Amir Sarkhosh (Iran), Khalid Alkamali (UAE), Niu Zhuang (China), Anas Almarzouki (Syria).

E: Chun Wai Lee (Hong Kong), Barbero Alvin (Philippines), Hiroshi Matsumura (Japan), Ammar Taqi (Kuwait).

F: Mohammad Asif (Pakistan), Abdulrahman Alshamsi (UAE), Haitam Shikh Khalil (Syria), Batsukh Balandorj (Mongolia).

G: Karam fatima (Syria), Kamal Chawla (India), Omar Ali Alajiani (Saudi Arabia), Mohammed Shwaikh (Jordan), Chan Chee Keong (Singapore).

H: Hamza Akbar (Pakistan), Alam Lin, Tang Ho (Hong Kong), Mamoun Mahameed (Jordan), Soheil Vahedi (Iran), Muneeb Al-Juboori (Iraq).

I: Kiat Lim Chun (Singapore), Yusuke Tanaka (Japan), Chuan Leong Thor (Malaysia), Majed Saeed Dhaif (Qatar), Khaled Alastal (Jordan).

J:Kwok Wai Fung (Hong Kong), Meqdad Taqi (Kuwait), Minhu Baek (Korea), Mahmoud Alta’Ani (Jordan), Brijesh Damani (India).

K: Mohd Rais Senzai (Afghanistan), Mohammad Alshamsi (UAE), Mohd Reza Hassan (Malaysia), Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn (Thailand), Abdullah Alfaylee (Iraq).

L: Ehsan Heydarinezhad (Iran), Saif Alkethbi (UAE), Mohamed Rimsan Hussain Ahamed (Sri Lanka), Yousef Ibrahim Alwadi (Saudi Arabia), Shu Hung Lin (Chinese Taipei).

M: Mohammad Al Joakar (UAE), Ryan Somarathne (Sri Lanka), Bashar Abdulmajeed (Qatar), Michael Angelo Mengorio (Philippines), Pramual Jantad (Thailand).

N: Mohsen Bukshaisha (Qatar), Eissa Al Hashmi (UAE), Ajmal Yousufzay (Afghanistan), Mohamed Aslam Shahul Hameed (Sri Lanka), Sergelen Batdeiger (Mongolia).

O: Ang Boon Chin (Singapore), Nadir Khan Sultani (Afghanistan), Chen Zifan (China), A. Mohsin Al-abdulrahman (Qatar), Chung Ming Huang (Chinese Taipei).

P: Mohamed Shehab (UAE), Asjad Iqbal (Pakistan), Keen Hoo Moh (Malaysia), Chulho Hwang (Korea).