0
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Mohammad Sajjad, a former Asian No 2, stole the limelight on the opening day of the Jubilee Insurance seven-nation international snooker championship compiling the first century break while routing Indian Mohammad Faisal Khan 4-2 at the Pearl Continental hotel on Sunday.
Two-time former national champion Sajjad, who is ranked third in the national ranking, came back into the game twice after trailing by a frame and then two-all, to win the best of seven group ‘B’ opener.
He was brilliant in the fifth frame making a clearance of 103 to earn the day’s honours. In an earlier frame Faisal, who is serving in the Indian Railways piled up a solid break of 88.
Sajjad won the battle 28-71, 79-18, 64-3, 5-89, 103-20, 66-14.
Two other home players Naveen Perwani and Abdul Sattar emerged victorious while five others suffered defeats.
Naveen blanked compatriot Sharjeel Mehmood 4-0 in group ‘A’ fixture. The scores were 65-25, 75-36, 86-27, 74-39. The former was scheduled to play Hussain Mahmood Ali of Bahrain, but slight changes were made in the draws due to jet lag of the latter.
Sattar conceded fifth frame while thrashing Yaser Ahmed M Elsherbiny of Egypt 4-1 the scores being 71-15, 60-10, 52-35, 18-70, 62-51.
In the other matches, Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham, a former world under-21 champion, outplayed Hussain Mehmood Ali 4-0 (77-8, 63-23, 94-0, 63-11), so does UAE’s Mohammad Al Joaker who whipped Sohail Shehzad by the identical score line (75-68, 97-36, 74-53, 65-24).
Iran’s No 2 player Saeed Abooyesani gave no chance to Pakistan’s top player Mohammad Asif registering straight victory (72-36, 91-9, 52-27,57-17).
Bahrain’s Habib Subah carved out 4-1 victory over Vishan Gir (53-68, 60-36, 79-23, 81-37, 76-0) while Egypt’s Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed gave a 4-2 drubbing to Sultan Mohammad (38-60, 76-30, 61-29, 38-60, 62-14, 49-18).
The president of International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF), Pascal Guillaume of France, and IBSF secretary Mohammad Al Kamah of Egypt also arrived here on Sunday to grace the event.
Results: Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed (Egypt) bt Sultan Mohammed (Pak) 4-2 (38-60, 76-30, 61-29, 38-60, 62-14, 49-18); Mohammad Sajjad (Pak) bt Mohammad Faisal Khan (India) 4-2 (28-71, 79-18, 64-3, 5-89, 103-20, 66-14); Naveen Perwani (Pak) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (Pak) 4-0 (65-25, 75-36, 86-27, 74-39); Mohammed Al Joaker (UAE) bt Sohail Shehzad (Pak) 4-0 (75-68, 97-36, 74-53, 65-24); Habib Subah (Bahrain) bt Vishan Gir (Pak) 4-1 (53-68, 60-36, 79-23, 81-37, 76-0); Saeed Abooyesani (Iran) bt Mohammad Asif (Pak) 4-0 (72-36, 91-9, 52-27, 57-17); Abdul Sattar (Pak) bt Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny (Egypt) 4-1 (71-15, 60-10, 52-35, 18-70, 62-51); Noppon Saengkham (Thailand) bt Hussain Mahmood Ali (Bahrain) 4-0 (77-8, 63-23, 94-0, 63-11).
Monday’s fixtures: Noppon Saengkham (Thailand) v Hussain Mahmood Ali (Bahrain; Habib Subah (Bahrain) v Mohammad Faisal Khan (India); Mohammed Al Joaker (UAE) v Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed (Egypt); Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny (Egypt) v Saeed Abooyesani (Iran) at 10am; Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) v Sharjeel Mehmood (Pak); Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) v Vishan Gir (Pak); Yasin Merchant (India) v Sohail Shehzad (Pak); Mohammad Mustafa Shehab (UAE) v Abdul Sattar (Pak) at 12.30pm; Noppon Saengkham (Thailand) v Naveen Perwani (Pak); Habib Subah (Bahrain) v Mohammad Sajjad (Pak); Mohammad Al Joaker (UAE) v Sultan Mohammad (Pak); Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny (Egypt) v Mohammad Asif (Pak) at 3pm; Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) v Hussain Mahmood Ali (Bahrain); Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) v Mohammad Faisal Khan (India); Yasin Merchant (India) v Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed (Egypt); Mohammad Mustafa Shehab (UAE) v Saeed Abooyesani (Iran) at 5.30pm.
