KARACHI: The Langnese Ranking Snooker Cup, the third and last domestic event of the calendar which cues off at hotel Movenpick Arcade on Thursday, is likely to be dominated by the Egypt-bound cueists who leave for Hurghada on Nov nine.

If one goes by the performance of top seed Mohammad Asif and second seed Mohammad Sajjad in the recently-concluded seventh NBP Cup, they look certain to shine again.

Former world amateur snooker champion Asif clinched the NBP Cup imposing to 8-7 victory over Sajjad in the epic final. The latter will defend his crown in the event.

Third seed Abdul Sattar and fifth seed Shahram Changezi are the other two cueists who have earned selection in the team for Egyptian tour where the world event takes place from Nov 10 to 21.

The former lost 3-5 to Mohammad Bilal in the quarter-final while the latter could not go beyond the group league in the preceding event.

The details of the event were announced by the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) president, Alamgir Shaikh at a press briefing held at the venue on Wednesday. Sponsor Anjum Asif was also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the draws were revised after former national junior champion Hunain Amir failed to show up citing clash with his examination.The size of the participants was reduced from 26 to 25.

According to the PBSF chief, Zulfiqar Ramzi was unanimously elected treasurer on the post that was fallen vacant after the demise of Amir Abbas Poonawala sometimes back. He will serve for the remaining period of one year.

According to prize money break-up, the winner will get Rs60,000 while the runner-up receive Rs35,000 from the total prize money of Rs150,000.

Groups:

A: Mohammad Asif (Punjab), Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab), Imran Shehzad (Punjab), Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shah Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdul Raheem (Punjab).

B: Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab), Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahid Aftab (Punjab), Mohammad Faheem (Punjab), Mohammad Imran (Punjab), Amir Tariq (Punjab).

C: Abdul Sattar (Sindh), Mohammad Bilal (Punjab), Abu Saim (Punjab), Babar Masih (Punjab), Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh), Bahadur Khan (Balochistan).

D: Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh), Shahram Changezi (Islamabad), Sultan Mohammad (Sindh), Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab), Ian Mark John (Sindh), Mohammad Nouman Iqbal (Islamabad).

Thursday’s fixtures:

At 10am: Mohammad Asif v Abdul Raheem, Mohammad Sajjad v Amir Tariq, Abdul Sattar v Bahadur Khan, Khurram Hussain Agha v Mohammad Nouman Iqbal.

At 12noon: Mohammad Asif Toba v Shah Khan, Rambel Gul v Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Bilal v Zulfiqar A. Qadir, Shahram Changezi v Ian Mark John.

At 2pm: Imran Shehzad v Sharjeel Mehmood, Shahid Aftab v Mohammad Faheem, Abu Saim v Babar Masih, Sultan Mohammad v Mohammad Majid Ali.

At 4pm: Shahram Changezi v Mohammad Nouman Iqbal, Aakash Rafique v Ian Mark John.

Published in Dawn October 29th, 2015

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