KARACHI: Pakistan received a severe blow on Tuesday as defending champion Mohammad Asif and former Asian No 2 Mohammad Sajjad, on whom the nation was relying the most, were knocked out in succession from the 11-nation Jubilee Insurance Asian 6-Reds Snooker Cham­pionship which entered the semi-final stage at Hotel Avari Towers.

While Asif suffered an agonising 3-6 defeat at the hands of compatriot Hamza Akbar to make exit in the last-16 round, Sajjad followed suit by losing the battle 4-6 to Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh in the quarter-finals.

“I had many chances but the ball didn’t favour me as my opponent cashed on the opportunities,” a dejected Asif told Dawn after the match.

This was Asif’s second defeat at the hands of Hamza in his career. The first time he lost to him was in quarter-finals of this year’s National Championship.

“Secondly, there was title defence pressure on me as well as I was playing against a junior player.” However, Asif gave full marks to Hamza for playing a quality game.

Meanwhile, Hamza is the lone country’s flag-bearer left in the competition out of the eight home players. Joining him in the last four were two cueists from Iran – Amir Sarkhosh and Hossein Vafaei Ayouri – and one from Thailand – Boonyarit Kaettikun.

Sarkhosh, who is losing finalist of last year, is slated to meet Hamza while Hossein is pitted against Boonyarit in the best of 11 frames semi-finals to be played at 10am.

The semis will be followed by best of 13 frames final at 4pm.

Earlier, five of the eight cueists who were re-seeded before the knockout round, met their fate in pre quarters. Apart from third seed Mohammad Asif, fourth seed Saleh Mohammad from Afghanistan lost to Thai Boonyarit.

The three players who justified their seeding include top seed Hossein, second seed Sajjad and seventh seed Amir Sarkhosh who stepped in the last eight.

Results: Pre quarter-finals:

Hossein Vafaei (Iran) bt Rahul Ajay (India) 6-3 (44-15, 21-40, 19-45, 58-0, 49-1, 26-39, 52-0, 34-19, 60-1); Mohammad Asif Toba (Pakistan) bt Omar Alkojah (Syria) 6-4 (52-32, 32-40, 22-38, 36-17, 37-9, 32-34, 0-44, 37-0, 58-5, 36-15); Ang Boon Chin (Singapore) bt Chau Hon Man (Hong Kong) 6-4 (10-41, 62-0, 33-32, 20-30, 31-43, 31-51, 41-4, 38-28, 46-15, 44-7); Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) bt Saleh Mohammad (Afghanistan) 6-5 (0-46, 0-38, 0-48, 59-13, 31-33, 44-28, 40-0, 62-0, 0-45, 58-0, 35-26); Sohail Shehzad (Pakistan) bt Asjad Iqbal (Pakistan) 6-2 (72-0, 37-30, 4-45, 32-6, 36-30, 29-30, 44-15, 37-24); Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) bt Shahid Aftab (Pakistan) 6-2 (40-12, 39-13, 0-75, 25-49, 71-6, 41-1, 40-6, 33-1); Hamza Akbar (Pakistan) bt Mohammad Asif (Pakistan) 6-3 (4-68, 36-18, 35-32, 0-71, 50-0, 66-0, 0-69, 37-14, 54-9); Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) bt Au Chi Wai (Hong Kong) 6-1 (9-42, 65-20, 55-9, 39-20, 32-24, 30-26, 53-16).

Quarter-finals:

Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) 6-4 (1-56, 44-0, 2-64, 32-23, 0-40, 31-3, 45-34, 42-35, 24-35, 46-4); Hamza Akbar (Pakistan) bt Sohail Shehzad (Pakistan) 6-5 (39-1, 71-0, 0-37, 47-0, 21-61, 1-54, 39-9, 40-0, 0-57, 0-65, 42-0); Hossien Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) bt Mohammad Asif Toba (Pakistan) 6-1 (42-27, 0-52, 30-12, 50-0, 41-14, 43-21, 68-0); Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) bt Ang Boon Chin (Singapore) 6-5 (19-39, 19-29, 23-42, 52-14, 20-31, 41-11, 39-0, 53-8, 53-1, 20-29, 52-0).

Wednesday’s fixtures:

At 10am: Semi-finals (best of 11 frames)

Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) v Hamza Akbar (Pakistan); Hossien Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) v Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand). At 4pm: Final (best of 13 frames)

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014