KARACHI, April 30: Hosts Pakistan received a severe blow when one of their title contender and reigning world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif fell prey to Hong Kong’s Lee Chun Wai in seven frames pre quarter-finals of the 29th Jubilee Insurance Asian Snooker Championship at hotel Sheraton on Tuesday.

Trailing three frames down, Lee Chun Wai came from the jaws of defeat to become first foreigner to whip world champion on his home soil. He won the nearly five hours battle 26-79, 9-71, 21-71, 64-9, 103-18, 71-66, 60-22.

Talking to Dawn, Asif attributed the defeat to bad game and bad day. He said luck favoured his opponent as he watched his 3-0 lead slipped from his hand and the match.

Asif’s defeat brought gloom in the Pakistan camp as being world champion he was the flag-bearer of eight-member home team and a source of inspiration.

Since capturing the world title in Sofia, Bulgaria, in December last, the 31-year-old Asif has failed to come up to the mark. In the preceding national championship, he failed to go beyond the league and made exit.

Besides Asif, national champion Hamza Akbar also met his fate losing 2-4 to Iran’s Mohammad Lababi. The Iranian won the encounter 95-18, 17-70, 90-27, 49-74, 105-22, 66-16.

Following elimination of Asif and Hamza, two players — former Asian No 2 Mohammad Sajjad and Abu Saim are carrying the Pakistan flag and in contention for the crown which has eluded the country for the last 14 years.

Sajjad coasted to 4-2 victory over Syrian Karam Fatima the score line being 17-105, 16-73, 67-15, 122-0, 67-46, 69-24 which includes a clearance of 122 in the fourth frame.

Saim was the first player who gave good news to the local fraternity by getting the better of Thailand’s Boonyarit Kaettikun 4-1. The former was home 60-53, 17-69, 71-45, 68-32, 72-16.

Chinese Zhao Xintong, Afghanistan’s Saleh Mohammad, Iran’s Mohammad Lababi and Aamir Sarkosh and Syrian Omar Al Kojah joined Lee Chun Wai, Sajjad and Saim in the last eight by winning their fixtures.

Meanwhile, Zhao hammered two elegant breaks of 127 and 136, the second being the highest of the event, while routing Mohammad Rais Senzai 4-0.

At the outset, seven more players namely Ratchayothin Yotharuck (Thailand), Mohammad Lababi (Iran), Zhao Xintong (China), Mohammad Rais Senzai (Afghanistan), Lim Chun Kiat (Singapore), Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) and Lee Chun Wai (Hong Kong) completed the last-16 round.

Results: Pre quarter-finals: Abu Saim (Pakistan) bt Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) 4-1 (60-53, 17-69, 71-45, 68-32, 72-16); Zhao Xintong (China) bt Mohammad Rais Senzai (Afghanistan) 4-0 (127-0, 136-0, 72-58, 75-49); Saleh Mohammad (Afghanistan) bt Fung Kwok Wai (Hong Kong) 4-0 (73-37, 108-16, 92-40, 72-39); Mohammad Lababi (Iran) bt Hamza Akbar (Pakistan) 4-2 (95-18, 17-70, 90-27, 49-74, 105-22, 66-16); Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) bt Karam Fatima (Syria) 4-2 (17-105, 16-73, 67-15, 122-0, 67-46, 69-24); Omar Al Kojah (Syria) bt Lim Chun Kiat (Singapore) 4-2 (15-103, 67-48, 79-71, 29-89, 61-52, 61-34); Aamir Sarkosh (Iran) bt Ratchayothin Yotharuck (Thailand) 4-3 (37-79, 75-0, 21-91, 64-56, 58-70, 70-6, 68-6); Lee Chun Wai (Hong Kong) bt Mohammad Asif (Pakistan) 4-3 (26-79, 9-71, 21-71, 64-9, 103-18, 71-66, 60-22).

Group matches last session: Ratchayothin Yotharuck (Thailand) bt Babar Masih (Pakistan) 4-2 (83-45, 10-66, 6-99, 76-53, 53-36, 83-12); Zhao Xintong (China) bt Han Sang Hee (South Korea) 4-0 ((64-8, 64-31, 115-6, 78-9); Lim Chun Kiat (Singapore) bt Susantha Botheju (Sri Lanka) 4-0 (71-31, 66-2, 72-17, 66-13); Boonyarit Kaettikun (Thailand) bt Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) 4-0 (81-24, 53-17, 57-50, 102-5); Mohammad Lababi (Iran) bt Ang Boon Chin (Singapore) 4-1 (54-16, 78-51, 71-32, 0-88, 72-0); Mohammad Rais Senzai (Afghanistan) bt Mohammed Al Joakar (UAE) 4-3 (9-118, 84-0, 65-0, 14-71, 17-68, 66-24, 56-19); Shahid Aftab (Pakistan) bt Ahmed Saif (Qatar) 4-2 (13-75, 64-61, 47-60, 64-35, 71-1, 70-66).

Wednesday’s fixtures: Quarter-finals (best of nine frames): At 11.00am: Lee Chun Wai (Hong Kong) v Omer Al Kojah (Syria); Saleh Mohammad (Afghanistan) v Mohammad Lababi (Iran); Abu Saim (Pakistan) v Zhao Xintong (China); Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) v Aamir Sarkosh (Iran).