KARACHI: Formidable Pakistan ‘A’, India ‘A’, Thailand and Iran justified their billing while completing the last four line-up in the Jubilee Insurance second Asian Team Event Snooker Championship at the Hotel Avari Towers here on Friday.

After emerging group D champions, Pakistan’s main outfit ‘A’, comprising Mohammad Asif-Mohammad Sajjad pair, conjured up an emphatic 3-1 victory over India ‘B’. The home team won the battle 84-24, 6-80, 67-17, 124-0.

Pakistan is now drawn to face Thailand in the semi-final after the latter swept aside Hong Kong 3-1 in the other encounter. Thais conceded the doubles on way to registering 77-18, 89-44, 42-63, 81-37 victory over their opponents. The Pakistan-Thailand clash will be the second in three days as the former had beaten the latter 3-2 in the group opener. Thailand finished runner-up in the group.

In the two other quarters, India ‘A’ overcame stiff challenge from Syria 3-2 while Iran defeated Afghanistan ‘A’ by identical scoreline. The two winning outfits take on each other in the second semi-final.

Earlier, the organisers rescheduled the quarter-finals by staging them in two sessions instead of one.

In the Pakistan ‘A’-India ‘B’ match, Sajjad put his country in front by beating Rahul Ajay Sachdev 84-24. But the lead was short as Asif lost the next frame 6-80 to Varun Madan. The home pair geared up to win the doubles 67-17 as Asif completed the rout piling an elegant century break to win the reverse singles 124-0 against Rahul.

However, India ‘A’ earned consolation with a hard fought 3-2 win over Syria (73-30, 96-1, 45-60, 11-89, 74-47).

Thailand, meanwhile, handed out a convincing 3-1 victory to Hong Kong the scores being 77-18, 89-44, 42-63, 81-37 while Iran having scooped the 6-Reds title stopped Saleh Mohammad’s Afghanistan ‘A’ with a 3-2 win. The former won their quarter-final 20-68, 66-9, 0-136, 85-0, 74-0.

Thursday’s result:

Iran bt Pakistan ‘C’ 3-2 (62-41, 110-1, 0-139, 21-76, 64-48).

Friday’s results:

India ‘B’ bt Pakistan ‘C’ 3-2 (6-84, 57-71, 68-39, 80-28, 68-53); Syria bt Bahrain 3-2 (46-66, 67-15, 57-34, 33-74, 53-31); Pakistan ‘A’ bt Palestine 3-0 (71-24, 76-0, 71-12); Hong Kong bt India ‘A’ 3-2 (24-85, 69-68, 28-75, 73-23, 73-21); Iran bt Singapore 3-1 (43-62, 59-30, 88-27, 113-9); Afghanistan ‘A’ bt Pakistan ‘B’ 3-2 (7-66, 64-39, 8-80, 133-0, 54-38); Thailand bt Qatar (walkover).

Quarter-finals:

Pakistan ‘A’ bt India ‘B’ 3-1 (84-24, 6-80, 67-17, 124-0); India ‘A’ bt Syria 3-2 (73-30, 96-1, 45-60, 11-89, 74-47); Thailand bt Hong Kong 3-1 (77-18, 89-44, 42-63, 81-37); Iran bt Afghanistan ‘A’ 3-2 (20-68, 66-9, 0-136, 85-0, 74-0).

Saturday’s fixtures:

At 10am: Semi-finals: Pakistan ‘A’ v Thailand; India ‘A’ v Iran.

At 3pm: Final

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014