LAHORE: National U-17 champion Ahsan Ramzan made a fine start to the 13th Seagold National U-21 Snooker Championship winning his both matches on the first day here at the National Coaching and Training Centre on Friday.

Ahsan, who earlier this week defeated Hamza Ilyas in the U-17 final and qualified for the U-17 World Snooker Championship, first tamed Mohammad Rafiq 71-42, 76-1, 73-18 in an all-Punjab contest. He had the biggest break of 69 in the second frame and a 53-score break in the first, too to complete a fine victory.

Ahsan then excelled to beat Zohaib Mustafa of Islamabad 3-1. He faltered in the third frame before wrapping up a 104-04(69), 113-13(85), 09-56, 64-40 win. Earlier, Zohaib had won 49-36, 49-63, 66-15, 61-41 against Sindh’s Zunair Khan.

Zunair also lost his second match of the day 62-29, 67-20, 45-29 to Mohammad Rafiq of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The toughest competition of the day came when Punjab’s Sheikh Mudassir overcame Kamran Albert Masih of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 59-71, 72-48, 56-14, 45-79, 75-21.

Results: Ahsan Ramzan (Punjab) bt Mohammad Rafiq (Punjab) 3-0 (71-42(53), 76-01(69), 73-18); Zohaib Mustafa (Islamabad) bt Zunair Khan (Sindh) 3-1 (49-36, 49-63, 66-15, 61-41); Shahrayar Khan (Sindh) bt Rizwan (Balochistan) 3-1 (47-41, 32-52, 77-45, 72-0(63); Sheikh Mudassir (Punjab) bt Kamran Albert Masih (KP) 3-2 (59-71, 72-48, 56-14, 45-79, 75-21); Zubair Tahir (Punjab) bt Munsifudin Alaudin (KP) 3-2 (17-63, 66-34, 59-86, 72-28, 59-12); Mohammad Asad Khan (Sindh) bt Jahanzaib Jahangir (Balochistan) 3-0 (67-32, 72-24, 56-07); Mohammad Shahzad (Punjab) bt Umer Ismail (Sindh) 3-1 (16-59, 63-23, 60-52, 90-01); Sajjad Abdullah (KP) bt Usman Waheed (Islamabad) 3-2 (70-38, 23-46, 32-61, 61-07, 75-15); Mohammad Rafiq (KP) bt Zunair Khan (Sindh) 3-0 (62-29, 67-20, 45-29); Ahsan Ramzan (Punjab) bt Zohaib Mustafa (Islamabad) 3-1 (104-04(69), 113-13(85), 09-56, 64-40); Rizwan (Balochistan) bt Kamran Albert Masih (KP) 3-0 (56-08, 69-31, 64-46); Sheikh Mudassir (Punjab) bt Shahrayar Khan (Sindh) 3-1 (64-22, 68-31, 35-62, 63-38)

Sunday’s Fixtures: Zubair Tahir (Punjab) vs Mohammad Asad Khan (Sindh); Jahanzaib Jahangir (Bal) v Munsifudin Alaudin (Punjab); Umer Ismail (Sindh) vs Sajjad Abdullah (KP); Usman Waheed (Islamabad) vs Mohammad Shahzad (Punjab); Mohammad Rafiq (KP) vs Zohaib Mustafa (Islamabad); Zunair Khan (Sindh) vs Ahsan Ramzan (Punjab); Rizwan (Balochistan) vs Sheikh Mudassir (Punjab); Kamran Albert Masih (KP) vs Shahrayar Khan (Sindh); Zubair Tahir (Punjab) vs Jahanzaib Jahangir (Balochistan); Mohammad Asad Khan (Sindh) vs Munsifudin Alaudin (KP); Umer Ismail (Sindh) vs Usman Waheed (Islamabad); Sajjad Abdullah (KP) vs Mohammad Shahzad (Punjab)

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2021