KARACHI, April 23: Imran Shahzad of Lahore got off to a good start in the 11th Style Cup National Ranking snooker championship with a clearance of 127 while inflicting 4-0 defeat on Farrukh Usman at the Amir Bakhsh Billiards Hall of the Karachi Club on Monday.

Imran, who had slipped to sixth position in the national ranking, chalked out the break of 81 in the opening and wrapped up the match with a superb break.

Qasim Kamani, placed 31st in Pakistan, caused the first major surprise when he shocked second-seed Vishan 4-1 with controlled potting and tactical game.

Reigning national champion Naveen Perwani also showed his class in break-building while mustering the breaks of 49, 82 in the first; 69, 59 in second and 50 and 40 in the last two frames to out-pot Jawed Ansari.

NWFP’s Saleh Mohammad made a disappointing return to the circuit, suffering a 3-4 defeat at the hands of third-seed Abu Saim of Punjab.

Saleh started in confident fashion by securing 3-1 lead which included a break of 55 in the fourth frame. Saim, demonstrating fighting qualities, grabbed the net three frames at trot to settle the issue aided the break of 53 in the penultimate frame.Fourth seed Mohammad Shahid of Punjab faced stiff challenge from Asim Ghani before coasting to an exciting 4-3 triumph.

Fancied cueists like fifth-seed Khurram Agha, eighth-seed Atif Mughal and Raees Khan bulldozed their opponents with straight frame victories.

Raees made two brilliant breaks of 81 and 82 in the last two frames.

Results:

Mohammad Shahid (Punjab) bt Asim Ghani (Sindh) 71-40, 45-68, 51-74, 65-63, 68-34, 52-65, 64-31; Qasim Kamani (Sindh) bt Vishan Gir (Sindh) 67-46, 62-37, 55-77, 63-37, 76-62; Naveen Perwani (Sindh) bt Jawed Ansari (Sindh) 131-0, 128-08, 100-14, 75-50; Abu Saim (Punjab) bt Saleh Mohammad (NWFP) 26-55, 73-63, 11-68, 02-71, 58-54, 77-18, 67-43; Atif Mughal (Punjab) bt Kashif Khan (Sindh) 59-47, 76-56, 88-28, 69-12; Raeess Khan (Punjab) bt Mutafa Hyder (Balochistan) 68-35, 53-32, 82-0, 81-0; Khurram Agha bt Sharjeel Mahmood (NWFP) 71-14, 68-25, 79-26, 90-08; Imran Shahzad (Punjab) bt Farrukh Usman (Sindh) 4-0, 89-33, 78-30, 127-12, 65-02; Shehram Changezi (Punjab) bt Mohammad Nazeer (Punjab) 40-72, 50-26, 71-21, 62-18, 63-33; Rambail Gul (NWFP) bt Salman Shaikh (Sindh) 67-44, 91-0, 29-62, 71-16, 76-40; Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Shah Khan (NWFP) 62-31, 87-15, 40-61, 76-27, 34-61, 49-89, 51-24.—APP