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KARACHI: Pakistan's ace cueist Muhammad Sajjad will miss the third edition of NBP National Ranking Championship which breaks-off at Karachi Club’s Amir Bakhsh Hall from Wednesday.
“Sajjad will be defending his crown in Korat Cup in Thailand starting from July 23, thus will miss the national event,” President Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) Alamgir Shaikh said in a news conference on Monday.
Chairman PBSA Asghar Valika, NBP Sports Head Iqbal Qasim, KC Secretary Yousuf Suleman, Sports Convener Shahnawaz Khan were also present on the occasion.
“We are resuming the circuit after few months' gap due to different reasons,” PBSA chief said.
However he said the remaining two ranking events will be held after Eid-ul-Fitr.
The event will carry a total purse pf Rs.150,000 with the winner taking Rs.60,000, runner-up Rs.35,000.
Pakistan's top 31 cueists will be in action in the event for which reigning champions Shahid Aftab is the top seed. Imran Shehzad is seeded two, Sultan Muhammad three and Sohail Shehzad of Sindh has been seeded four.
Commenting on the occasion, NBP Sports Chief Iqbal Qasim said their bank had been promoting sports in every the nook and corner of the country and that snooker sponsorship has top Rs. 800,000 after starting off with Rs. 350,000.
“We are fully aware of social responsibility of NBP and working for the promotion and development of sports,” Iqbal Qasim stressed.
Following are groups for the event:
Group A: Shahid Aftab (Punjab), Abdul Sattar (Sindh), Qasmi Kamani (Sindh), Hamza Akbar (Punjab).
Group B: Imran Shehzad (Punjab), Ayaz Khan (Punjab), Farhan Khan (KPK), Bilawal Agha (Sindh).
Group C: Noman Awan (KPK), Muhammad Imran (Punjab), Abdul Rehman (Balochistan).
Group D: Sultan Muhammad (Sindh), Umair Alam (Sindh), Zahoor Ahmed (Balochistan), M.Naeem Jaffar (Balochistan).
Group E: Sohial Shahzad (Sindh), M.Javed (Punjab), Sharjeel Mahmood (KPK), Faisal Kashmir (Sindh)
Group F: Naveen Perwani (Sindh), Rambail Gul (KPK), Rashid Mehmood Abbbasi (Punjab), Arshad Siddiq (KPK).
Group G: M.Asif Toba (Punjab), Muhammad Yousuf (Sindh), Shah Khan (KPK), Hameedullah (KPK).
Group H: Muhammad Asif (Punjab), Asjad iqbal (Punjab), Imran Qamar (Punjab), Khurram Agha (Sindh).
