KARACHI: Two Pakistan cueists — Abdul Raheem and Saqib Butt — will fly to Saint Petersberg, Russia, on Oct 2 to compete in the IBSF world under-18 snooker championship being held there from Oct 3 to 11.

Players, who are under-18 as of Dec 31, 2015, are eligible to ta ke part in the inaugural event.

The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) have picked them on the recommendation of the Punjab Snooker Association, the PBSF president Alamgir Shaikh told Dawn on Thursday.

Raheem is the losing finalist of this year’s national junior championship having lost to Mohammad Faheem 4-6 in the final. He is ranked 22nd in the national rankings.

Saqib, who was ranked 37th after 40th national championship and was among 33 to 45 who were eliminated from the national ranking chart, lost in the pre quarters of the national junior event.

A short training camp for the two cueists will start at the National Bank of Pakistan sports complex on Sept 21.

Alamgir added that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has allocated Rs6,00,000 for the said trip.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2015

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