KARACHI: National champion Mohammad Asif has maintained his top slot in the latest national ranking released by the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) after the fourth snooker cup which concluded in the city recently.

Asif, who hails from Faisalabad, enjoyed the No 1 position throughout the year after he recaptured the national title for second time in the beginning of the year. He has amassed 37 points.

On his heels with 35 points is Sargodha’s Asjad Iqbal, who retained his second place by finishing runner-up in the fourth and last event of the domestic calendar. He was placed 16th in the NR released after the 37th national’s but took a big leap of 14 places to claim second position after the NBP cup and retained it in the following three events.

In fact, Asif and Asjad shared the four ranking titles amongst themselves — the former annexing national’s and Langnese fourth ranking snooker cup while the latter returning with flying colours in the NBP cup and Jubilee Insurance cup.

Islamabad-based Shehram Changezi has surged two places to seize third place pushing Sindh’s Sultan Mohammad to fourth.

Sindh’s Sohail Shehzad is at fifth place while former Asian No 2 Mohammad Sajjad of Punjab has retained his sixth slot.

He is followed by Mohammad Javed (Punjab), Shahid Aftab (Punjab), Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Khurram Agha (Sindh).

Former Pakistan No 1 Agha has slumped down from fourth to 10th place in the latest ranking.

Rankings: 1-Mohammad Asif (Punjab), 2-Asjad Iqbal (Punjab), 3-Shehram Changezi (Islamabad), 4-Sultan Mohammad (Sindh), 5-Sohail Shehzad (Sindh), 6-Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab), 7-Mohammad Javed (Punjab), 8-Shahid Aftab (Punjab), 9-Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), 10-Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh).