DOHA: Pakistan’s Awai­s­ullah Munir registered a thumping 4-1 win against Amir Sarkhosh of Iran to reach the ACBS Asian Men Snooker Cham­pionship final at Doha.

Awaisullah — who earlier defeated Milad Fathp­our, also from Iran with a identical 4-1 scoreline in the quarter-final — won the first frame 57-36 before the Iranian cueist claimed one back to level the score.

After that Awaisullah sec­ured three consecutive frames 75-15, 67-47, 69-32, bringing him one step clo­s­er to the championship title.

Earlier Pakistan’s other cueist Mohammad Nas­e­em Akhtar fall to a narrow 4-3 defeat against home player Ali Alobaidli of Qatar.

It seemed that Naseem will comfortably emerge victorious and move into the semi-finals when he went 3-0 up [61-52, 64-07, 77-02(62)] and was only one frame away from the triumph.

But the frame never happened as Alobaidli averted the disaster and launched a remarkable comeback to secure four back-to-back frames [91-08, 79-16(71), 66-28, 69-19] and a remarkable victory.

The final, set for Friday, will see Awaisullah competing against the winner of Alobaidli and Ali Gharahgozlou.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2024