KARACHI: Mohammad Yousuf, a former world amateur champion, became the first player to emerge group champion and earn a place in the last-16 knockout stage of the fourth NBP ranking snooker championship here at the DA Creek Club on Thursday.

The 60-year-old cueist, who is representing Punjab, sent Balochistan’s Zahoor Ahmed packing 4-1 in his last group ‘G’ fixture to complete league engagements with a clean slate. He won the battle 11-83, 65-30, 61-53, 57-46, 66-8.

Joining Yousuf in the knockout stage were former national junior champion Asjad Iqbal (Punjab), Pakistan’s No. 2 Sultan Mohammad (Sindh), former national champion Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab), Sindh’s Abdul Sattar and former Pakistan No. 1 Khurram Hussain Agha.

All the five players have won three of their four games to ensure a passage in the next round.

The rejoice of Mohammad Asif Toba’s upset victory over Pakistan’s No 1 and national champion Mohammad Asif had hardly died when the former was stunned by wildcard Yasir Nadeem of Islamabad 4-3 in the fully stretched game.

Yasir recovered from 2-3 frames down to inflict a 81-27, 15-88, 58-38, 56-98, 33-64, 62-44, 48-38 defeat on Toba in the match of academic interest.The league matches complete on Friday.

Results: Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Hunain Aamir (Punjab) 4-1 (57-73, 71-25, 64-26, 69-35, 59-35); Javed Ansari (Sindh) bt Abdul Raziq (Balochistan) 4-1 (76-32, 45-50, 50-49, 68-35, 57-40); Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab) bt Zahoor Ahmed (Balochistan) 4-1 (11-83, 65-30, 61-53, 57-46, 66-8); Farrukh Usman (Sindh) bt Abdul Rauf Kurd (Balochistan) 4-1 (69-32, 69-45, 48-76, 91-19, 56-33); Yasir Nadeem (Islamabad) bt Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) 4-3 (81-27, 15-88, 58-38, 56-98, 33-64, 62-44, 48-38); Shehram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Ali Raza (Punjab) 4-2 (73-31, 62-57, 14-63, 33-78, 70-14, 55-22); Mohammad Akmal (Sindh) bt Yasir Shehzad (KP) 4-1 (66-9, 66-39, 45-77, 65-62, 63-33); Mohammad Ishtiaq (Sindh) bt Naeem Jaffer (Balochistan) 4-1 (74-43, 37-85, 117-8, 86-4, 64-16); Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh) bt Umair Alam (Sindh) 4-0 (75-73, 76-13, 64-1, 79-32); Mohammad Javed (Punjab) bt Abu Saim (Punjab) 4-1 (22-67, 99-12, 71-44, 75-52, 60-54); Mohammad Majid (Punjab) bt Mohammad Imran (Punjab) 4-1 (31-95, 56-20, 72-35, 63-11, 94-0); Bilawal Agha (Sindh) bt Mohammad Afzal (Punjab) 4-2 (31-68, 28-44, 67-15, 62-20, 70-46, 66-30); Imran Shahzad (Punjab) bt Shahid Aftab (Pubjab) 4-3 (41-79, 113-15, 68-47, 82-38, 0-88, 37-87, 58-6); Shafiullah (KP) bt Farhan Noor (Punjab) 4-3 (23-61, 0-85, 69-39, 37-89, 78-23, 65-49, 63-53); Mohammad Nazeer (Punjab) bt Shah Khan (KP) 4-2 (70-34, 51-70, 13-61, 58-39, 58-11, 67-22); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Farhan Khan (KP) 4-2 (77-45, 36-64, 77-13, 38-74, 104-6, 85-16).

Friday’s fixtures: Abdul Sattar v Abu Saim; Sohail Shehzad v Mohammad Imran; Vishan Gir v Mohammad Afzal; Sharjeel Mehmood v Khurram Hussain Agha at 10am; Mohammad Asif v Asjad Iqbal, Sultan Mohammad v Farhan Noor; Mohammad Sajjad v Shah Khan; Naveen Perwani v Imran Shehzad at 12noon; Mohammad Javed v Mohammad Bilal; Mohammad Majid v Javed Ansari; Bilawal Agha v Zahoor Ahmed; Umair Alam v Farrukh Usman at 2pm; Farhan Khan v Mohammad Asif Toba; Shafiullah v Ali Raza; Mohammad Nazeer v Mohammad Akmal; Shahid Aftab v Mohammad Ishtiaq at 4pm.