KARACHI: Two-time world snooker champion Mohammad Asif was drop­ped at the eleventh hour before his departure for Doha to compete in the 36th Asian Snooker Cham­pionship and IBSF-Qatar 6-Reds World Cup as his Covid-19 vaccination, administered here, was not approved by the host nation.

According to the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) officials, top-ranked Asif got the booster shot that was not prescribed by the Qatar’s Ministry of Health for travelling to the country.

Meanwhile, two Pakistani cueists Babar Masih and Haris Tahir accompanied by international referee Naveed Kapadia left for Doha on Friday morning. Haris was named as reserve by the PBSF while announcing the team for short duration camp. The Asian spectacle will be held from Sept 11 to 16 followed by 6-Reds World Cup from Sept 17 to 21.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021