KARACHI, Jan 26 The unbeaten run of last year's runner-up Hamza Akbar came to an abrupt end when he went down fighting 3-4 to Mian Mohammad Shiraz in the knockout pre quarter-final of the third National Junior Snooker championship at Karachi Club on Tuesday.

Following a jittery start, Hamza went 3-2 up in the all-Punjab encounter but failed to maintain the pace and knocked out 4-3. Shiraz won the battle 67-14, 65-38, 19-61, 24-63, 7-53, 64-41, 47-33.

Another match that went to full distance was between Yasir Rehman and Mohammad Rizwan Ali which was won by the former 67-36, 15-66, 48-50, 12-56, 58-41, 45-28, 54-14.

Holder Asjad Iqbal notched up straight 4-0 victory over Ahsan Raza the score being 67-34, 45-36, 96-15, 76-32.

Apart from Shiraz, Yasir and Asjad, others who stormed into the last eight include Rizwan Hashmi, Mohammad Ishtiaq, Ayaz Khan, Qamar Zaman Khan and Mohammad Ahsan Javaid.

The quarter-finals will be played on Wednesday at 10.00am followed by semi-finals in the afternoon.

Results

Pre quarter-finals Mian Mohammad Shiraz bt Hamza Akbar 4-3 (67-14, 65-38, 19-61, 24-63, 7-53, 64-41, 47-33); Rizwan Hashmi bt M. Nazir Arsalan 4-0 (51-26, 66-29, 58-24, 69-30); Mohammad Ishtiaq bt M. Haris Nadeem 4-0 (75-44, 78-25, 82-45, 57-29); Ayaz Khan bt Kamran Ali 4-1 (53-62, 59-2, 71-6, 59-33, 66-46); Yasir Rehman bt Mohammad Rizwan Ali 4-3 (67-36, 15-66, 48-50, 12-56, 58-41, 45-28, 54-14); Qamar Zaman Khan bt Amir Sohail 4-0 (57-15, 67-50, 86-11, 65-32); Asjad Iqbal bt Ahsan Raza 4-0 (67-34, 45-36, 96-15, 76-32); Mohammad Ahsan Javaid bt Asad Kamani 4-0 (66-32, 63-28, 70-10, 71-31).

Wednesday's fixtures

Quarter-finals Mian Mohammad Shiraz v Rizwan Hashmi; Mohammad Ishtiaq v Ayaz Khan; Yasir Rehman v Qamar Zaman Khan; Asjad Iqbal v M. Ahsan Javaid.