KARACHI, April 29: Nine cueists stepped into the last 16 round of the 29th Jubilee Insurance Asian Snooker Championship at the hotel Sheraton on Monday, the penultimate day of the league event.

Those who entered the next stage includes four from the host country, two Syrians, an Iranian, an Afghan and one from Hong Kong. They were world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif, former Asian No 2 Mohammad Sajjad, national champion Hamza Akbar and Abu Saim (Pakistan), Karam Fatima and Omar Al Kojah (Syria), Saleh Mohammad (Afghanistan), Aamir Sarkosh (Iran) and Fung Kwok Wai (Hong Kong).

The remaining seven players will become clear after the completion of league matches on Tuesday noon.

The league matches will be followed by pre quarter-finals at 4.00pm.

Meanwhile, two-time former national champion Sajjad, stole the limelight while erasing the highest break of 132 set by his compatriot Imran Shehzad against Mongolian Enkhjargaal Enkhbaatar on Sunday.

Sajjad mustered two brilliant breaks of 126 in the opening frame and 134 in the fifth while chalking up 4-2 victory over China’s Zhao Xintong to round off his league matches.

Earlier, Ang Boon Chin of Singapore piled up a break of 129 in the first session of the day while routing Pakistan’s Babar Masih 4-0.

World champion Asif lived up to his reputation while getting the better of Hong Kong’s Fung Kwok Wai in fully stretched seven frames duel. He conjured up 94-0, 9-74, 68-57, 73-53, 22-87, 1-116, 70-20 victory to top group A.

Saleh Mohammad also delighted the fraternity while inflicting 4-1 defeat on Iran’s Aamir Sarkosh to top group B with unbeaten record. He was home 67-30, 67-33, 67-57, 25-79, 87-12.

Young Hamza Akbar and Omar Al Kojah emerged group C and D champions respectively.

Results:

Ang Boon Chin (Singapore) bt Babar Masih (Pakistan) 4-0 (57-55, 135-0, 82-29, 76-40); Ali Jalil Ali (Iraq) bt Han Sang Hee (South Korea) 4-1 (0-1 (frame awarded to Hee), 59-36, 76-9, 90-16, 83-24); Mohammed Al Joakar (UAE) bt Susantha Bhoteju (Sri Lanka) 4-0 (111-46, 75-66, 75-16, 72-15); Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) bt Shahid Aftab (Pakistan) 4-1 (72-16, 81-6, 30-50, 63-48, 56-50); Ratchayothin Yotharuck (Thailand) bt Mohammad Lababi (Iran) 4-0 (75-8, 69-6, 84-54, 76-22); Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) bt Zhao Xintong (China) 4-2 (126-0, 16-104, 84-12, 44-73, 141-1, 73-42); Mohammad Rais Senzai (Afghanistan) bt Lim Chun Kiat (Singapore) 4-2 (64-61, 74-22, 21-67, 64-43, 34-75, 73-20); Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) bt Ahmed Saif (Qatar) 4-2 (30-77, 64-1, 76-9, 61-15, 35-66, 70-64); Mohammad Asif (Pakistan) bt Fung Kwok Wai (Hong Kong) (94-0, 9-74, 68-57, 73-53, 22-87, 1-116, 70-20); Saleh Mohammad (Afghanistan) bt Aamir Sarkosh (Iran) 4-1 (67-30, 67-33, 67-57, 25-79, 87-12); Wang Yuchin (China) bt Karam Fatima (Syria) 4-3 (45-76, 67-39, 41-74, 70-77, 62-8, 75-0, 70-20); Yuttapop Pakpoj (Thailand) bt Ehsan Heydari Nezhad (Iran) 4-3 (73-60, 5-68, 72-59, 70-59, 39-60, 20-64, 94-0); Babar Masih (Pakistan) bt Hwang Chul Ho (South Korea) 4-0 (66-27, 122-8, 77-30, 80-27); Ulziitogtokh Davaasuren (Mangolia) bt Hang Sang Hee (South Korea) 4-2 (61-12, 27-66, 50-80, 68-46, 44-43, 69-13); Abdul Sattar (Pakistan) bt Susantha Botheju (Sri Lanka) 4-0 (72-36, 61-51, 81-26, 84-21); Lee Chun Wai (Hong Kong) bt Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) 4-2 (74-17, 74-58, 5-77, 46-72, 78-30, 66-57).

Tuesday’s fixtures: At 10.00am: Ratchayothin Yotharuck (Thailand) v Babar Masih (Pakistan); Zhao Xintong (China) v Han Sang Hee (South Korea); Lim Chun Kiat (Singapore) v Susantha Botheju (Sri Lanka); Mohammad Mustafa Shehab (UAE) v Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand); Mohammad Lababi (Iran) v Ang Boon Chin (Singapore); Mohammad Rais Senzai (Afghanistan) v Mohammad Al Joakar (UAE); Ahmed Saif (Qatar) v Shahid Aftab (Pakistan). At 4.00pm: Pre quarter-finals