KARACHI: Three-time national champion Mohammad Sajjad crossed yet another hurdle while his compatriot Mohammad Bilal made exit in the 6-Reds snooker event of the ongoing Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games at Ashgabat on Wednesday.

According to information available here, Sajjad, who is also reigning Asian 6-Reds champion, fought tooth and nail against Hong Kong’s Lin Tang Ho before emerging 5-4 victorious in the fully stretched pre quarter-final.

The Sargodha-based cueist fought back from deficit thrice before winning the duel 33-27, 14-51, 0-41, 36-7, 4-44, 33-24, 14-34, 54-4, 37-27.

It is pertinent to mention that Sajjad had also survived a scare against Sharaf Maaith of Jordan before winning by the same 5-4 margin on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Bilal, bronze medalist of the Asian 6-Reds contest earlier this year, failed to match the brilliance of the reigning world champion Soheil Vahedi of Iran before bowing out 1-5 in another pre quarter-final.

The Iranian didn’t gave much room to his opponent and was home smartly the scores being 61-11, 44-8, 58-0, 46-16, 17-37, 30-16.

Sajjad was up against Qatar’s Ali Alobaidli in the quarter-finals at the time of filing this report.

Results:

Pre quarter-finals: Mohammad Sajjad bt Lin Tang Ho (Hong Kong) 5-4 (33-27, 14-51, 0-41, 36-7, 4-44, 33-24, 14-34, 54-4, 37-27); Sohail Vahedi (Iran) bt Mohammad Bilal 5-1 (61-11, 44-8, 58-0, 46-16, 17-37, 30-16).

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2017