KARACHI: It was an unusual day in the 10th National Bank of Pakistan ranking snooker championship at the bank’s sports complex on Friday when five cueists shone with century breaks in the pre-quarter-finals besides the elimination of defending champion Asjad Iqbal.

The five players who registered century breaks include Khurram Agha (129), Zulfiqar Qadir (107), Mohammad Ijaz (106), Mohammad Bilal (108) and Rambel Gul (100).

National champion Mohammad Asif scored a blistering break of 138 against Islamabad’s Rashid Mehmood Abbasi on Tuesday which stands as the highest break of the event so far.

In the major upset todate, lower ranked Sharjeel Mehmood toppled the four-time NBP Cup champion Asjad registering an emphatic 5-2 victory the scores being 51-50, 54-43, 0-81, 35-68, 70-50, 76-44, 78-40 to propel into last eight.

Top four seeded quartet – Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Bilal, Babar Masih and Mohammad Majid Ali – justified their credentials by coasting to 5-3 victories respectively over their respective opponents.

Asif fought back from two frames down to post 45-64, 59-65, 98-0, 124-0, 130-1, 1-129, 74-34, 80-36 victiory over former Pakistan No 1 Khurram Agha.

Bilal overcome stiff challenge from Umair Alam before returning home 59-58, 48-56, 17-66, 70-97, 109-16, 97-0, 71-38, 69-4.

Babar notched up 29-56, 68-7, 61-15, 66-21, 33-62, 72-11, 0-100, 70-4 victory over Rambel Gul while Majid halted the run of Sirbuland Khan 78-2, 27-62, 68-28, 4-61, 100-21, 72-36, 45-75, 80-0. This was Sirbuland Khan’s first pre quarter-final of his career.

The above players were joined in the last eight by Zulfiqar Qadir, Aakash Rafique and Mohammad Ijaz.

Results:

Pre quarter-finals:

Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Khurram Agha (Sindh) 5-3 (45-64, 59-65, 98-0, 124-0, 130-1, 1-129, 74-34, 80-36); Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) bt Haris Tahir (Punjab) 5-4 (76-18, 107-1, 13-58, 66-27, 68-28, 4-70, 37-63, 42-66, 63-23); Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Mohammad Shahbaz (Punjab) 5-4 (28-70, 82-20, 65-46, 58-34, 10-75, 73-44, 46-58, 14-57, 88-32); Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) bt Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) 5-1 (61-49, 32-70, 119-0, 54-39, 70-61, 65-32); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Umair Alam (Sindh) 5-3 (59-58, 48-56, 17-66, 70-97, 109-16, 97-0, 71-38, 69-4); Babar Masih (Punjab) bt Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-3 (29-56, 68-7, 61-15, 66-21, 33-62, 72-11, 0-100, 70-4); Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) bt Sirbuland Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-3 (78-2, 27-62, 68-28, 4-61, 100-21, 72-36, 45-75, 80-0); Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) 5-2 (51-50, 54-43, 0-81, 35-68, 70-50, 76-44, 78-40).

Saturday’s fixtures:

Quarter-finals:

At 10am: Mohammad Asif (Punjab) v Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh); Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) v Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) v Babar Masih (Punjab); Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) v Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2018