NO, he is not to be confused with the other Asif who brought shame to the country. This Mohammad Asif made Pakistan proud by bringing the World Snooker crown back here 18 years after Mohammad Yousuf had won the event in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1994. Asif lifted the crown when he won the World Amateur Snooker Championship that was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, in early December.

And with it he washed away all the nation’s disappointments in sports during the year. The player kept in fine form the whole of 2012 and in was duly rewarded for it when he hit the jackpot at the end of the rainbow. Asif won all 10 matches during the competition that featured 102 of the cueists from all over the world. Finally, he beat Gary Wilson of England to be declared the ultimate winner.

On his return from Bulgaria, Asif was given a hero’s welcome at the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport. Later, he was also honoured at a ceremony by the Sindh Billiards and Snooker Association (SBSA).

After reaching the pinnacle in the amateur side of the sport, the 30-year-old now wants to turn professional for which he would need financial support as he wants to play in England. He knows it will take plenty of time and effort to save up enough money to reach England and play there for a while. But he says that money isn’t everything and the love and respect he got from his nation after winning the championship also counts for a lot. That will surely not fund his plans to turn professional, but Asif remains undeterred.

Until he is able to find the funding he needs and deserves, he says he will continue appearing in national tournaments. He is also looking forward to winning the Asian Snooker Championship, which is his next challenge. The championship is just months away. One would like to believe that there is plenty of good news to come from the man in the future.