KARACHI: Fourth seed Nadir Miraan and former national champion Mohammad Bilal suffered astonishing defeats on the opening day of the ninth National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker Cup that also saw two elegant century breaks at the bank’s sports complex here on Tuesday.

Shah Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pulled off the first upset when he sent Punjab’s Miraan packing 4-1 (56-67, 66-16, 60-9, 73-6, 77-54) in the second session of the day.

Again in the fourth and last session, former Sindh champion Qadir toppled much superior cueist Bilal 4-2 the scores being 23-99, 48-62, 89-23, 73-6, 75-39, 72-37.

Sindh’s Abdul Sattar also stole the day’s limelight by hammering a splendid 132 break in the fifth and last frame against Islamabad’s Munawwar Khaliq. Sattar won the duel 4-1 (96-17, 83-61, 50-61, 85-36, 132-0).

Former Pakistan No.1 Imran Shehzad also chalked up a break of 101 but in the end fell prey to Mohammad Majid Ali 2-4 (94-12, 17-114, 59-52, 85-0, 35-74, 70-8).

Meanwhile, other seeded players and defending champion Mohammad Asif won their group openers.

Results:

Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Shahid Shafiq (Punjab) 4-0 (57-30, 81-18, 86-12, 79-48); Mubashir Raza (Punjab) bt Amir Sohail (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 4-0 (76-27, 61-45, 63-37, 68-41); Babar Masih (Punjab) bt M.Asif Toba (Punjab) 4-2 (28-84, 65-21, 65-22, 18:63, 73-37, 72-61); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Haris (Punjab) 4-3 (65-12, 65-33, 59-15, 47-67, 14-75, 40-56, 77-4); Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Munawwar Khaliq (Islamabad) 4-1 (96-17, 83-61, 50-61, 85-36, 132-0); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Umer Farooq (Punjab) 4-1 (71-34, 83-43, 76-23, 34-75, 73-42); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Abu Saim (Punjab) 4-2 (94-22, 63-51, 93-1, 44-99, 15-61, 93-24); Shah Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Nadir Miraan (Punjab) 4-1 (56-67, 66-16, 60-9, 73-6, 77-54); Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) bt Imran Shehzad (Punjab) 4-2 (94-12, 17-114, 59-52, 85-0, 35-74, 70-8); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Saqib (Punjab) 4-1 (40-93, 49-25, 58-51, 55-25, 73-9); Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) bt Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) 4-0 (73-50, 73-34, 55-48, 77-30). Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (Punjab) 4-3 (49-55, 60-26, 59-54, 72-13, 16-71, 63-54, 69-28); Agha Bilawal (Sindh) bt Mohammad Ishtaiq (Sindh) 4-1 (35-69, 50-17, 68-61, 70-41, 63-26); Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Shaikh Mohammad Mudassir (Punjab) 4-3 (74-48, 68-23, 67-51, 8-75, 15-79, 24-77, 133-43); Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) bt Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) 4-2 (23-99, 48-62, 89-23, 73-6, 75-39, 72-37).

Wednesday’s fixtures:

At 10am: Munawwar Khaliq (Islamabad) v Haris Tahir (Punjab); Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) v Shah Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh)vAakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) vUmer Farooq (Punjab).

At 12:00noon: Mohammad Ahsan Javaid (Punjab) v Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) v Mohammad Faizan (Sindh); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) v Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (Punjab).

At 2:00pm: Agha Bilawal (Sindh) v Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (Punjab); Amir Sohail (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) v Shahid Shafiq (Punjab); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) v Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Abu Saim (Punjab) v Umer Farooq (Punjab).

At 4:00pm: Babar Masih (Punjab) v Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab)vMohammad Faizan (Sindh); Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) v Shaikh Mohammad Mudassir (Punjab).

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2017