KARACHI: Pakistan cueists have vowed to do the nation proud by winning the title in the 31st Asian Snooker Championship which will be played at Kuala Lumpur from April 23 to 30.

“We’ve gone through rigorous training during a fortnight camp held at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex and will go all out to return with flying colours,” the trio comprising Mohammad Asif, Hamza Akbar and Shahram Changezi told Dawn at a local hotel on the eve of their departure on Tuesday.

The cueists, attired in green blazer, have rich experience under their belt and looked determined to win back the title for the country after a long lay-off. It is pertinent to mention that veteran IBSF world champion Mohammad Yousuf did the nation proud by capturing the Asian title at home in 1998.

According to information available here, 73 cueists representing 23 countries are set to vie for honours in the annual spectacle. Malaysian Thor Chuan Leong will defend his crown.

“We have to overcome cueists from China, Thailand, Iran and may be Malaysia in order to reach the zenith,” a confident looking Asif, who got Pride of Performance at Lahore last month, said.

Asif, a Grade II officer in the NBP on contractual basis, thanked his employers for supporting the game besides giving employment to four other cueists besides him. The cueists also had a word of praise for Shoaib Alam Khan who supervised the camp.

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Name: Mohammad Asif

Age: 33 years

Employment: National Bank of Pakistan.

National Ranking: 3

Achievements: Former Pakistan No 1; won national titles in 2009 and 2012; won IBSF world snooker title at Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2012; won IBSF Team Event at Carlow, Ireland, in 2013; won Asian 6Reds at Doha, Qatar, in 2013; silver medallist in IBSF Team Event at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, in 2014; silver medallist in Asian Team Event at Karachi, Pakistan, in 2014. Besides, he has participated in many other events abroad.

Award: Pride of Performance

Name: Hamza Akbar

Age: 21

Employment: National Bank of Pakistan

National Ranking: 1

Achievements: Won national titles in 2013 and 2015; finished runner-up to Mohammad Asif Toba in 2014 national championship; featured in one world champion-ship at Bangalore in 2014; two Asian championships at Karachi, Pakistan, in 2013 and at Fujairah, UAE, in 2014; one Asian 6Reds, one Asian Team Event; three world under-21 and two Asian under-21 events besides many other competitions abroad.

Name: Shahram Changezi

Age: 31

Employment: Nust Islamabad

National Ranking: 2

Achievements: Former Pakistan No 1 in 2008; member of Pakistan team that won bronze medal in snooker team event at Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010; represented Pakistan in Asian Team Event held at Karachi in 2014; privately featured in Play Tour Championship in England for three-and-a-half months in 2011.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2015

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