KARACHI, Feb 22: Defending champion Ayaz Khan from Punjab opened his campaign on a winning note with a 3-1 drubbing of Sindh’s Asadullah Rogatia on the opening day of the National Junior U-21 Snooker championship at the Karachi Club on Sunday.

Ayaz, who chalked up a magnificent 5-1 victory over province-mate Ahsan Javed to win his maiden crown last year, dropped the opener on way to imposing victory. The scores were 51-55, 76-39, 58-16, 59-10.

Sindh champion Mohammad Ishtiaq romped home straight over Sheroze Anis, also of Sindh, with efficient breaks of 79 and 39 in the first and second frames. Ishtiaq won the battle 93-21, 81-23, 63-18.

Sindh’s qualifier Azeem Yousuf, son of former world amateur champion Mohammad Yousuf, was quick in chalking up 71-25, 73-27, 81-20 victory over Punjab’s Kafil Nazir.

Results:

Zeeshan Liaquat (NWFP) bt Abdul Raziq (Balochistan) 3-2 (51-61, 21-62, 55-53, 47-38, 58-47); Mohammad Afzal (Punjab) bt Haris Nadeem (Sindh) 3-0 (81-10, 75-42, 51-44); Mohammad Ishtiaq (Sindh) bt Sheroze Anis (Sindh) 3-0 (93-21, 81-23, 63-18); Abdul Basit (Sindh) bt Umer Ejaz (NWFP) 3-0 (76-41, 60-26, 87-57); Kamran (Balochistan) bt Ihsan Ali (NWFP) 3-0 (56-12, 50-39, 53-44); Qamar Zaman Khan (Punjab) bt Imran Ali (Balochistan) 3-1 (74-40, 69-51, 45-64, 57-13); Agha Bilawal (Sindh) bt Farhad Ali (Balochistan) 3-1 (40-69, 64-10, 59-23, 43-33); M. Shiraz (Punjab) bt Qamar U. Zaman (Balochistan) 3-0 (73-15, 71-19, 70-41); Usman Shaikh (Punjab) bt Fahad (Sindh) 3-1 (56-43, 49-27, 45-57, 43-32); Ahsan Raza (Sindh) bt Hamid Yunus (Punjab) 3-2 (21-87, 41-63, 63-32, 56-16, 45-31); Hamza Akber (Punjab) bt Arsalan Munir (Punjab) 3-0 (67-21, 69-50, 62-48); Ayaz Khan (Punjab) bt Asadullah Rogatia (Sindh) 3-1 (51-55, 76-39, 58-16, 59-10); M. Azeem Yousuf (Sindh) bt M. Kafil Nazir (Punjab) 3-0 (71-25, 73-27, 81-20); Fawad Khan (NWFP) bt Salman Siddique (Sindh) 3-2 (62-15, 61-34, 40-71, 19-52, 75-15); Arsalan Sarwer (Punjab) bt M. Javed Iqbal (NWFP) 3-0 (62-18, 59-20, 58-41); Amjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt M. Yasir Khan (Sindh) 3-0 (59-33, 64-19, 76-42).

Monday’s fixtures:

M. Azeem Yousuf v Ihsan Ali, Salman Siddique v Imran Ali, Arsalan Sarwer v Farhad Ali, M. Yasir Khan v Qamar U. Zaman (10.00am); Fahad v Zeeshan Liaquat, Ahsan raza v Haris Nadeem, Arsalan munir v Sheroze Anis, Asadullah Rogatia v Abdul Basit (12noon); Kamran v M. Kafil Nazir, Qamar Zaman Khan v Fawad Khan, Agha Bilawal v M. Javed Iqbal, Riaz Jan v Amjad Iqbal (2.00pm); Abdul Raziq v Usman Shaikh, Mohammad Afzal v Hamid Yunus, Mohammad Ishtiaq v Hamza Akber, Umer Ejaz v Ayaz Khan (4.00pm).