Pakistan tasted their second successive defeat against Wales. -File photo

KARACHI: Pakistan went down fighting 2-3 to top seeds Wales in the ongoing Snooker World Cup at Bangkok Convention Centre on Thursday.

According to the results made available here, despite the defeat which is second in a row in three league games, Pakistan are still in the race for a place in quarter-finals from group ‘A’.

After taking a winning start by stunning eighth seeds Republic of Ireland 3-2 in the opener, qualifiers Pakistan lost 2-3 to Germany in the next game before tasting their second successive defeat at the hands of fancied Wales.

Pakistan went into one frame arrear when national champion Shahid Aftab lost the opening singles to Mark Williams. Mohammad Sajjad, the former Asian No 2, fell to Matthew Stevens in the second.

The Pakistani pair of Shahid and Sajjad also lost the doubles to the Wales pair of Williams and Stevens.

However, Pakistan won the last two singles which were of academic interest after they had also lost the best-of-five battle.

Pakistan meet Egypt in the last league match on Friday.

Meanwhile, top seeds Wales have maintained a clean slate winning all three matches so far. Three teams – Pakistan, Egypt and Germany – have lost two of their three games while Republic of Ireland had lost one of the two.

The second place from group ‘A’ would become clear on the completion of the league matches on Friday.

Results: Group ‘A’: Wales bt Pakistan 3-2. Singles: Mark Williams bt Shahid Aftab; Matthew Stevens bt Mohammad Sajjad.

Doubles: Wales beat Pakistan. Singles: Mark Williams lost to Mohammad Sajjad; Matthew Stevens lost to Shahid Aftab.