KARACHI: On a day of great upsets, top three seeds -- the defending champion Mohammad Bilal, second seed Babar Masih and third seed Mohammad Asif — were knocked out in the pre quarter-finals of the 42nd National Snooker Championship at the Karachi Gymkhana on Saturday.

Islamabad-based seventh seed Shahram Changezi humbled Bilal in the grueling battle 5-4 39-92, 60-39, 99-0, 57-41, 46-87, 59-48, 14-68, 33-61, 59-56 to sneak into the last eight.

Playing one of the best matches of his career, Punjab’s Nadir Miraan fought tooth and nail while overcoming second seed Babar in the fully-stretched match 5-4. The scores were 18-47, 52-45, 13-91, 23-61, 92-28, 15-70, 42-4, 59-50, 72-47.

Contrary to the above two upsets, former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha outclassed former world champion and third seed Asif with ease 5-1.

Asif could only win the opening frame and bowed out without giving much resistance to his opponent who was home 4-74, 47-12, 95-8, 104-3, 59-40, 71-45.

Joining the above three in the last eight was the former national junior (under-21) champion and wildcard Mohammad Ahsan Javaid who toppled 11th seed Mohammad Ejaz 5-2 63-30, 37-79, 50-62, 91-1, 98-4, 61-35, 78-18.

The remaining four cueists who returned victorious were fourth seed Mohammad Sajjad, fifth seed Sohail Shehzad, eighth seed Asjad Iqbal and the 10th seed Shahid Aftab.

The quarter-finals will be played on Sunday at 10am.

Results:

Pre quarter-finals:

Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Imran Shehzad (Punjab) 5-4 (37-79, 62-48, 48-56, 57-31, 59-52, 47-68, 76-22, 58-70, 68-53); Mohammad Ahsan Javaid (Punjab) bt Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) 5-2 (63-30, 37-79, 50-62, 91-1, 98-4, 61-35, 78-18); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Ishtaiq (Sindh) 5-1 (44-68, 67-31, 79-11, 100-8, 68-12, 77-26); Nadir Miraan (Punjab) bt Babar Masih (Punjab) 5-4 (18-47, 52-45, 13-91, 23-61, 92-28, 15-70, 42-4, 59-50, 72-47); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Mubashir Raza (Punjab) 5-1 (26-85, 95-0, 70-47, 76-1, 67-36, 60-14); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Sattar (Sindh) 5-1 (56-61, 55-45, 112-6, 77-8, 108-2, 69-37); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Mohammad Asif (Punjab) 5-1 (4-74, 47-12, 95-8, 104-3, 59-40, 71-45); Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) 5-4 (39-92, 60-39, 99-0, 57-41, 46-87, 59-48, 14-68, 33-61, 59-56).

Sunday’s fixtures:

Quarter-finals (best of nine frames) at 10am Asjad Iqbal vs Mohammad Ahsan Javaid; Shahid Aftab vs Naddir Miraan; Mohammad Sajjad vs Sohail Shehzad; Khurram Agha vs Shahram Changezi.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2017