KARACHI: Former Sindh champion Abdul Sattar came from the jaws of defeat to upset former national champion and ninth ranked Mohammad Bilal by 5-4 frames on way to making it to the last four of the ninth National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Ranking Snooker Cup at the bank’s sports complex on Sunday.

The 14th ranked Sattar, defied Bilal’s 4-2 lead and pressure of highest break of 139, to turn the tables on his opponent with a stunning 5-4 victory.

He won the fully stretched duel 0-139, 39-99, 21-69, 53-51, 72-48, 15-85, 68-56, 64-41, 66-20.

Sattar, also a former international, was in hot waters as he trailed by three frames that also saw highest break in the first frame before reducing the deficit to 2-3. The former again lost the sixth frame to trail 2-4 before bouncing back to clinch the next three frames in a row and the battle.

Joining him in the last four were second seed Asjad Iqbal, fifth seed and former national champion Shahid Aftab and unseeded Mohammad Ijaz.

Iqbal, who is aspiring to win his fourth NBP Cup, struggled to whip former Asian under-21 runner-up Mohammad Majid Ali 5-4 to stay in contention He was home (86-17, 30-48, 56-18, 86-63, 35-80, 59-8, 37-72, 61-32).

Aftab was extended to eight frames before registering 5-3 victory over Mubashir Raza, who played his first ranking event. The former won the battle 65-30, 36-70, 20-49, 9-64, 90-12, 72-29, 70-39, 78-30.

Playing first ranking quarter-final of his career, talented Ijaz survived while getting the better of national under-21 runner-up Haris Tahir 5-4 (24-68, 66-28, 68-61, 0-79, 31-76, 88-43, 68-62, 15-59, 94-12).

Sattar takes on Aftab in the first semi-final while Iqbal is pitted against Ijaz in the second on Monday.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) 5-4 (0-139, 39-99, 21-69, 53-51, 72-48, 15-85, 68-56, 64-41, 66-20); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mubashir Raza (Punjab) 5-3 (65-30, 36-70, 20-49, 9-64, 90-12, 72-29, 70-39, 78-30); Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) bt Haris Tahir (Punjab) 5-4 (24-68, 66-28, 68-61, 0-79, 31-76, 88-43, 68-62, 15-59, 94-12); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) 5-3 (86-17, 30-48, 56-18, 86-63, 35-80, 59-8, 37-72, 61-32).

Monday’s fixtures:

Semi-finals (best of 11 frames): Abdul Sattat (Sindh) v Shahid Aftab (Punjab) at 10am; Mohammad Ijaz (Pujjab) v Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) at 1pm.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2017