KARACHI: Reigning national champion Mohammad Bilal and losing finalist Sohail Shehzad will make their Asian Snooker Championship debut when its 32nd edition cues off at Doha from April 16. The two are part of a four-member team that was announced by the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) on Tuesday.

Bilal overcome fighting Sohail Shehzad 7-5 in the final to win the elusive national title in the city last month. By virtue of playing the final, Bilal and Shehzad fulfilled the criteria to earn selection in the team.

Besides the two finalists of the 41st National Snooker Championship, experienced Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Sajjad are also part of the quartet.

It is pertinent to mention that prodigy Hamza Akbar created quite a stir when he toppled Indian supremo Pankaj Advani 7-6 in the final at Kuala Lumpur last year to annex the Asian title.

The quartet will attend a fortnight training camp at the refurbished Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) snooker hall in Islamabad from March 24 to April 10. The PSB has assured to provide free boarding and lodging to the Doha-bound cueists.

Pakistan team will fly to Doha from Karachi on April 15. The event concludes on April 23.

Meanwhile, the NBP ranking snooker championship that was to be held here from March 20 to 28 has been deferred due to financial constraints.

“The event has been deferred and is likely to take place in the next fiscal year,” a spokesman for the PBSF quoting the bank’s sources told Dawn when asked to comment.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2016