COLOMBO, Jun 29: The 22nd edition of Asian snooker championship gets underway here on Friday with 42 players from 19 countries battling for top prize. Pakistan will be represented by Khurram Agha and Imran Shahzad in the championswhip.

Pakistan squad, which flew into the Sri Lankan capital, had its training session in build-up for the championship.

Top seeded Jin Long of China will be defending his title, which he won at Bangkok (Thailand) beating countryman Cai Jung.

Both Khurram and Shahzad are unseeded.

Sultan Muhammad Joker of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is seeded two, Habib Sabah (Bahrain) three and Issra Kachiawong is seeded fourth. Other seeded players are 5-Attasit Mahitti (Thailand), 6-Bun Aun Keith (Singapore), 7-Muhammad Shehab (UAE), 8-Pankaj Advani (India).

Following are groups of participating players:

Group “A” Jin Long (China), Mubarak Al Awais (Kuwait), Tung Hsin Lee (Chinese Taipei), Pham Thanh Thuy (Vietnam), Keen Hoon Moh (Malaysia).

Group “B” Muhammad Sultan Al-Joker (UAE), M.I.Nagaria (Sri Lanka), Yutaka Fukuda (Japan), Lim Chut Kiat (Singapore), Kein Foot Yong (Malaysia), Manan Chandra (India).

Group “C” Habib Sabah (Bahrain), Takao Kurimoto (Japan), Uziitogtokh Davaasuren (Mongolia), Amir Sh Arskhosh (Iran), Susantha Buteju (Sri Lanka).

Group “D” Issara Kachaiwong (Thailand), Ahmed Abdulleh Asere (Saudi Arabia), Wan-Su Lee (Korea), Ahamed Saif (Qatar), N.Samarawickremama (Sri Lanka).

Group “E” Attasit Mahitti (Thailand), Imran Shahzad (Pakistan), Pham Hoai Nam (Vietnam), Tuan Li (China Hong Kong).

Group “F” Boon Aun Keith (Singapore), Khurram Hussain Agha (Pakistan), Ryan Somaratne (Sri Lanka), Nizar Abdulleh Asere (Saudi Arabia), Tea Hoon Jung (Korea).

Group “G” Muhammad Shehab (UAE), P.Pushpakumara (Sri Lanka), Monthar Jawed (Bahrain), Yaqoub Al-Anzi (Kuwait), Mpohsen A.Aziz (Qatar), Tung Kopwk Wai (China Hong Kong).

Group “H” Pankaj Advani (India), Po-Hsien Lee (Chinese Taipei), Mehdi Rasekhi (Iran), Ochirbold Begzuren (Mongolia), Kaisheng Cao (China).—Agencies