KARACHI, Sept 21: Talented Abu Saim of Punjab emerged as the giant-killer on the first day of Red and White Latif Masters Snooker Championship when he stunned country’s two leading cueists Saleh Muhammad and Muhammad Yousuf at Karachi Club Billiards Hall on Sunday.

Diminutive Saim struggled in the first two frames. However, a break of 53 in third frame gave him confidence and he never looked back.

Former world number three Saleh made the break of 57 in the fifth frame to take 3-2 advantage. Saim took the sixth frame on a black ball and just outplayed Saleh in the final to seize victory.

Later in the last session again showing his fighting qualities, Saim stole the limelight when he reached the pinnacle of his career carving out 4-3 triumph against former world and Asian champion Muhammad Yousuf.

Results:

Naveen Perwani (Sindh) bt Muhammad Nazir (Punjab) 4-3 82-29, 45-71, 17-67, 60-33, 114-0, 45-91, 57-47.

Atiq Latif Bakhsh (KPT) bt Faiq Malik (Punjab) 4-2 93-30 (64b), 75-34, 0-73, 67-42, 02-62, 66-40.

Farhan Mirza (Punjab) bt Vishan Gir (Punjab) 4-3 50-73, 57-47, 72-05, 55-67, 28-71, 89-25, 60-24.

Muhammad Yousuf (KPT) bt Amit Pawarni (Sindh) 4-1 72-34, 42-69, 65-54, 65-29, 68-57.

Abu Saim (Punjab) bt Saleh Muhammad (NWFP) 4-3 32-53, 40-74, 78-48, 66-38, 59-71, 72-70, 69-33.

Imran Shahzad (Punjab) bt Minhas Malik (Sindh) 4-2 29-76, 72-04, 94-21, 72-38, 35-72, 71-31.

Khurram Agha (KPT) bt Muhammad Nazir (Punjab) 4-0 49-40, 61-17, 74-30, 69-04.

Atiq Latif Bakhsh (KPT) bt Shah Khan (NWFP) 4-2 63-51, 73-58, 27-96, 47-54, 61-19, 71-18.,

Farhan Mirza (Punjab) bt Minhas Malik (Punjab) 4-0 71-01, 62-09, 89-0, 68-21.

Abu Saim (Punjab) bt Muhammad Yousuf (KPT) 4-3 65-06, 0-101, 31-63, 09-71, 68-21, 65-48, 77-17 Amit Parwani (Punjab) bt Saleh Muhammad 4-2 39-63, 09-68, 83-02, 66-60, 68-14, 70-17 (61b) Vishan Gir (Sindh) bt Imran Shahzad (Punjab) 4-1 78-07, 23-69, 76-34, 70-11, 77-30.—APP