KARACHI: A hectic snooker season awaits cueists after Ramazan in the second half of the year which envisages participation in at least half-a-dozen international events besides a juniors competition abroad.
In addition, participation in one more event is subject to invitation.
According to details, the first event to take place is the fifth Asian Team event and sixth 6-Reds Snooker Championships being held at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from June 28 to July 5.
The event that was earlier slated to take place from May 13-23 was postponed due to landslide in the host country. The quartet of Mohammad Sajjad, Asjad Iqbal, Mohammad Bilal and Babar Masih will represent the country in the event.
Mohammad Naseem Akhtar and Haris Tahir will travel to China to compete in the IBSF World under-18 and under-21 championships being held there from July 7 to 16.
Pakistan’s has earned honour as Mohammad Bilal will represent Asia in the World Games being held at Poland in the end of July. He has been nominated by the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS) on the basis of his performance in the Asian meet at Doha earlier this year.
The next competition in line is the IBSF World 6-Reds and Team Event at Hurgada, Egypt, from Aug 1 to 10. The team for the event will be named later.
The pair of former Asian champion Hamza Akbar and Shahram Changezi will represent the country in the World Snooker Championship being held at China in the beginning of July.
The Islamabad-based Shahram has been nominated by the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) on the basis of his international performance and having played in China Open earlier, the PBSF president Munawwar Shaikh said on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s participation is the Sangsom 6-Reds invitation championships at Bangkok from Sept 3 to 9 is subject to invitation from the hosts.
Pakistan will figure in the Asian Indoor Games being held at Ashgabat from Sept 18 to 28. The team for the event will be named later.
Pakistan’s internatonal participation will culminate when it appears in the IBSF men, women and master’s snooker championships at Malta from Nov 10 to 19. The team for the event will be announced later.
According to PBSF official, three domestic events will also be organised before culmination of the year.
It is pertinent to mention that four domestic events — National Snooker Championship, National under-18 and under-21 Championships and the National Master’s Championship — have been organised in the first half of the year.
Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2017
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