Yasin Merchant. -Photo by Fahim Siddiqi/ White Star

KARACHI: Highly talented Hossein Vefaei Ayouri of Iran, who astonished the fraternity of the game by crowning the world title at Bangalore in December, opened his campaign by registering back-to-back victories while Pakistan’s top cueist Mohammad Asif conjured up the highest break to date (126) in the Jubilee Insurance seven-nation international snooker championship at Pearl Continental hotel here on Monday.

Vafaei first thrashed Pakistan’s Sharjeel Mehmood 4-0 (60-47, 75-15, 66-25, 78-8) in the second session and then went on to rout Bahrain’s Hussain Mahmood Ali 4-1 (76-42, 48-55, 96-8, 91-17, 106-0) in the concluding session in the group A to justify his billing.

Similarly, veteran Indian cueist Yasin Merchant, who is a house-hold name on this side of the border, delighted the crowd chalking up successive victories in contrasting style.

Bespectacled Yasin, the two-time former Asian champion, sent Pakistan’s Sohail Shehzad packing 4-0 (79-28, 73-17, 65-40, 54-23) and then recovered from three frames down to turn the tables on Egypt’s Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed in the fully stretched battle 4-3. The scores were 38-63, 0-61, 29-101, 71-19, 76-37, 76-20, 69-15.

Asif earned distinction for the hosts by piling up an elegant break of 126 in the fourth frame against Egyptian Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny in his 4-0 triumph. He surpassed the 103 break of Mohammad Sajjad.

He had lost the opening tie to Iran’s Saeed Abooyesani 0-4 on Sunday.

Apart from Asif, two other home players — Abdul Sattar and Sultan Mohammad — won their matches while their other fellow countrymen falter.

Sattar fought tooth and nail to overcome UAE’S Mohammed Mustafa Shehab 4-3 which included a century break in the third frame while Sultan gave a 4-1 drubbing to Mohammed Al Joaker.

Meanwhile, the league matches conclude on Wednesday.

Results:

Mohammad Faisal Khan (India) bt Habib Subah (Bahrain) 4-2 (40-86, 67-21, 2-55, 60-37, 63-31, 68-1); Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed (Egypt) bt Mohammed Al Joaker (UAE) 4-1 (60-54, 54-32, 13-90, 51-28, 65-41); Saeed Abooyesani (Iran) bt Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny (Egypt) 4-1 (62-51, 74-70, 16-75, 65-54, 72-50); Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) bt Sharjeel Mehmood 4-0 (60-47, 75-15, 66-25, 78-8); Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) bt Vishan Gir (Pak) 4-1 (99-23, 9-87, 79-42, 73-41, 80-41); Yasin Merchant (India) bt Sohail Shehzad (Pak) 4-0 (79-28, 73-17, 65-40, 54-23); Abdul Sattar (Pak) bt Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) 4-3 (65-57, 7-74, 100-0, 38-61, 21-83, 77-16, 59-49); Noppon Saengkham (Thailand) bt Naveen Perwani (Pak) 4-0 (86-51, 104-1, 78-19, 74-25); Habib Subah (Bahrain) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Pak) 4-3 (17-97, 65-59, 47-55, 69-26, 14-82, 75-17, 63-0); Sultan Mohammad (Pak) bt Mohammed Al Joaker (UAE) 4-1 (75-14, 76-13, 58-31, 26-81, 59-52); Mohammad Asif (Pak) bt Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny (Egypt) 4-0 (first frame awarded, 98-9, 107-0, 126-1); Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) bt Hussain Mahmood Ali (Bahrain) 4-1 (76-42, 48-55, 96-8, 91-17, 106-0); Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) bt Mohammad Faisal Khan (India) 4-1 (97-35, 109-22, 109-0, 11-74, 78-15); Yasin Merchant (India) bt Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed (Egypt) 4-3 (38-63, 0-61, 29-101, 71-19, 76-37, 76-20, 69-15); Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) bt Saeed Abooyesani (Iran) 4-3 (72-18, 53-70, 93-2, 104-40, 21-71, 18-66, 54-17); Noppon Saengkham(Thailand) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (Pak) 4-0 (92-0, 81-30, 86-0, 82-12). Tuesday’s fixtures: Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) v Naveen Perwani (Pak); Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) v Mohammad Sajjad (Pak); Yasin Merchant (India) v Sultan Mohammad (Pak); Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) v Mohammad Asif (Pak) at 10am; Hussain Mahmood Ali (Bahrain) v Sharjeel Mehmood (Pak); Mohammad Faisal Khan (India) v Vishan Gir (Pak); Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed (Egypt) v Sohail Shehzad (Pak); Saeed Abooyesani (Iran) v Abdul Sattar (Pak) at 12.30pm; Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran) v Noppon Saengkham(Thailand); Thepchaiya Un-Nooh (Thailand) v Habib Subah (Bahrain); Yasin Merchant (India) v Mohammed Al Joaker (UAE); Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) v Yaser Ahmed M. Elsherbiny (Egypt) at 3pm; Naveen Perwani (Pak) v Hussain Mehmood Ali (Bahrain); Mohammad Sajjad (Pak) v Vishan Gir (Pak); Sultan Mohammad (Pak) v Sohail Shehzad (Pak); Mohammad Asif (Pak) v Abdul Sattar (Pak) at 5.30pm.