KARACHI: Third seed Mohammad Bilal grew in stature when he pipped experienced but unseeded Sohail Shehzad 7-5 in the epic final of the 41st National Snooker Championship to enter his name in the annals of the game at Movenpick hotel on Saturday.

Bilal made a comeback into the game twice and coasted home in style by slamming a century break of 101 in the last frame to land his maiden national title. He won the six-hour dual 46-58, 17-98, 77-45, 84-15, 54-77, 7-81, 77-27, 25-77, 67-54, 84-41, 70-37, 101-0.

Both the finalists have qualified to represent the country in the 32nd Asian Snooker Championship being held at Doha, Qatar, from April 16 to 23.

By virtue of winning the title, Bilal has maintained the stranglehold of Punjab on the baize game which the province held for almost a decade now.

Local player Shehzad, the reigning Sindh Cup champion, has rekindled hopes of reviving his province glory but in vain. It is pertinent to mention that Khurram Agha was the last cueist from Sindh who won the national title way back in 2006.

In the run up to the final, Bilal thumped Shahram Changezi 5-1 in the quarter-final and Babar Masih 6-5 in the semi-final.

On the other hand, Shehzad removed Mohammad Sajjad 5-4 in the quarters and Mohammad Asif 6-2 in the semis.

“I was confident and succeeded to break the title jinx,” a jubilant 31-year-old Bilal, who hails from Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab, said after the final.

Shehzad, 34, said victory and defeat was part of the game and he is focussed to deliver the goods at the Asian spectacle.

After conceding the first and second frames 46-58, 17-98, Shehzad fought back to drew level taking the next two 77-45, 84-15 only to trail 2-4 in the best of 13 frames final again losing the fifth and sixth frames 54-77 and 7-81.

Shehzad reduced the deficit 3-4 winning the seventh 77-27 but again lost the eighth 25-77.

At this juncture, Bilal rejuvenated his act taking the last four frames 67-54, 84-41, 70-37 and 101-0 to post commendable win.

Besides the century (101) break in the last frames, Bilal scored two more breaks of 71 and 64 in the 10th and 11th frames.

Shehzad also build up breaks of 69, 54 and 81 in the second, fifth and sixth frames.

Bilal received glittering trophy and a cash prize of Rs1,00,000 from the chief guest managing director Jubilee Insurance Tahir Ahmed and guest of honour former Test cricketer Moin Khan at a ceremony that followed the final.

Shehzad earned a purse of Rs50,000 and runner-up trophy.

The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) president Alamgir Shaikh and other officials were also present on the occasion.

Final results:

Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) 7-5 (46-58, 17-98, 77-45, 84-15, 54-77, 7-81, 77-27, 25-77, 67-54, 84-41, 70-37, 101-0).

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2016