KARACHI, March 21 A new champion in Mohammad Asif emerged on the national horizon on Saturday when he dethroned holder Mohammad Sajjad 6-2 in the all-Punjab final of the 34th National Snooker Championship at the Karachi Gymkhana.
Playing seventh national championship of his career, Asif enjoyed an edge right from the word go and romped home 61-38, 73-61, 2-75, 72-25, 34-68, 99-40, 57-22, 85-1 in the three-and-a-half hour duel which fell short of expectations.
After emerging group `F` champion, Asif humbled Qasim Kamani 5-2, Imran Shehzad 5-3 and Sharjeel Mahmood 5-2 on way to making the final grade.
“I have trained hard and was confident of capturing the crown,” a jubilant Asif from Faisalabad told Dawn.
Sajjad who too won the national title out of a blue at the same venue last year said “I failed to play up to my true potential and lost.”
Sajjad, who hails from Sargodha, however, have some consolation of piling highest break (120) of the event as he had done in the preceding final. Last year he hammered the highest break of 114.
Going by the form he displayed in the last two matches, Asif seemed favourite and returned with flying colours. He shot into 2-0 lead winning the opening two frames 61-38, 73-61.
However, Sajjad fought back into the game and reduced the deficit 1-2 taking the third frame 75-2 aided by a sturdy break of 65.
Asif surged 3-1 up claiming the fourth frame 72-25 only to lose the next 34-68. There was no stopping for Asif as he raced to clinch the next three frames 99-40, 57-22, 85-1 to wrap up the match 6-2.
Asif received a purse of Rs40,000 and the winner`s trophy while Sajjad fetched Rs30,000 besides the runner-up trophy.
Sajjad also got a cheque of Rs5,000 for the highest break.
In addition, Asif got two separate cash prizes of Rs25,000 apiece for winning the honours while another Rs25,000 was presented to Sajjad for the highest break by different individuals.
Final result
Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) 6-2 (61-38, 73-61, 2-75, 72-25, 34-68, 99-40, 57-22, 85-1).
