KARACHI, July 26: Dazzling Saleh Muhammad stormed into the last-16 stage of the 21st Asian snooker championship in Bangkok, Thailand when he overcame veteran Malaysian cueist Ng Ann Seng 4-2 to notch up his fourth win in Pool ‘C’.

The 32-year-old Saleh, featuring in his eighth Asian event, came from 1-2 down to topple Ng Ann 72-22, 0-73, 50-62, 58-46, 54-22, 79-25, according to a message Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association received on Tuesday.

Saleh, who had twice made to the semifinals of the Asian event, made a confident start by grabbing the opening frame 72-22, but could not save the second.

The Malaysian took it 73-0 laced with a break of 54 and piled added pressure on Saleh by winning the third by a narrow 62-50 margin.

Saleh, however, did not show any sign of nerves and pocketed fourth frame 58-46 after an exciting contest to level the terms at 2-all.

With his tactical and clinical game, Saleh took the last two frames without any trouble and succeeded in maintaining his top spot in the Pool.

Saleh finished runner-up in the 2003 World snooker championship in China and won double bronze medals in the doubles and team event of the snooker event in Busan Asian Games in South Korea.—APP