KARACHI: Veteran Mohammad Sajjad started his title defence on a winning note as former champion Shahid Aftab compiled a splendid break of 140 on the opening day of the NBP 47th National Snooker Championship at the NBP Sports Complex on Wednesday.

With four national titles under his belt, Sargodha-based top seed Sajjad sent former national champion Mohammad Bilal packing 72-44, 56-50, 97-4, 62-34 in his Group ‘A’ opener.

However, Punjab qualifier Rana Irfan pulled off the biggest upset of the day when he toppled second seed and former world champion Ahsan Ramzan 4-2 with the score reading 63-39, 121-0, 39-83, 56-20, 39-78, 58-17 including a century break of 103 in the second frame.

Third seed Babar Masih and fourth seed Haris Tahir were stretched to their limits before overcoming their respective opponents. Babar who was 1-3 down fought back to whip M. Jawed Ansari 41-51, 80-43, 0-81, 32-98, 98-13, 71-35, 106-8 while Haris trounced Zaib Khan 109-8, 30-64, 40-63, 62-52, 98-47, 33-70, 68-15.

The day witnessed three century breaks with fifth seed Shahid hogging limelight cracking the highest break in the third frame registering 79-14, 81-8, 140-0, 58-26 triumph against Fawad Khan. He was unlucky in piling up 147 as he missed the black ball.

The other century break, of 101, came from Abdul Javed who accounted for Farukh Usman 4-1 (101-0, 30-68, 102-31, 67-9, 57-4).

Results:

Babar Masih bt M. Jawed Ansari 4-3 (41-51, 80-43, 0-81, 32-98, 98-13, 71-35, 106-8); Akash Rafiq bt Mohammad Naseem Akhtar 4-2 (14-75, 68-33, 64-57, 16-71, 69-19, 94-2); Haris Tahir bt Zaib Khan 4-3 (109-8, 30-64, 40-63, 62-52, 98-47, 33-70, 68-15); Waseem Abbas bt Abdul Sattar 4-1 (47-37, 56-18, 59-32, 1-75, 57-42); Mohammad Sajjad bt Mohammad Bilal 4-0 (72-44, 56-50, 97-4, 62-34); Shah Namat bt Jhanzaib Jahangir 4-0 (102-9, 103-13, 86-40, 78-31); Rana Irfan bt Ahsan Ramzan 4-2 (63-39, 121-0, 39-83, 56-20, 39-78, 58-17); Ali Hamza bt Sirbuland Khan 4-1 (75-34, 48-65, 59-56, 87-48, 59-46); Shahid Aftab bt Fawad Khan 4-0 (79-14, 81-8, 140-0, 58-26); Abdul Javed bt Farukh Usman 4-1 (101-0, 30-68, 102-31, 67-9, 57-4); Zulfiqar A. Qadir bt M. Iftikhar 4-3 (72-45, 4-70, 36-60, 0-75, 112-6, 65-26, 61-18).

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2022