May 05, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1429

DUBAI, May 4: Pakistan cueists had a disappointing day in the 24th Asian snooker championship on Sunday as Khurram Agha and Mohammad Sajjad suffered defeats at the Dubai Police Officers Club Hall.

Second seed Khurram went down to Mohammad Nadir Sultani of Afghanistan 1-4. Whereas reigning national champion Mohammad Sajjad Rana, featuring in his first international competition, lost to UAE’s Eissa Al Sayed 2-4.

However, Saleh Mohammad brought some relief in the Pakistan camp as he overpowered Salim Ali Salim of the UAE 4-1.

On Saturday night, top-seed Yasin Merchant of India defeated Saleh Mohammad 4-2 after a magnificent break of 147. Saleh fought back to level the score 2-all, but Yasin won the next two to seal the fate of the match.

Khurram had launched his campaign in the competition with 4-0 victory over Yusuke Tanaka of Japan.

Results:

Saleh Mohammad (Pakistan) bt Salim Ali Salim (UAE) 65-32, 95-19, 45-60, 64-15, 56-26; Zhang Anda (China) bt Hwang Chin Ho (Korea) 93-16, 80-08, 19-62, 94-01, 113-02; Passakorn Suwannwat (Thailand) bt Khaled Ali Awais (Kuwait) 46-48, 59-24, 70-0, 73-37, 70-47; Noppodol Sangnil (Thailand) bt Lin Su Hung (Taiwan) 74-66, 69-67, 55-49, 108-10; Fung Kowk ( Hong Kong) bt Salim Bin Dihban (UAE) 55-51, 95-12, 63-19, 71-51; A. Bulajiang (China) bt Hisham Al Saqar (Bahrain) 46-68, 72-9, 94-22, 64-38, 48-68, 74-43; Pankaj Advani (India) bt Omar Ali Alajiani (Saudi Arabia) 137-01, 97-0, 83-59, 65-69, 48-47; Abdullah Al Obaidy (Jordan) bt Ngyyen Nhat Thanh (Vietnam) 78-14, 59-41, 69-25, 69-24; Mohsen Aziz (Qatar) bt Ahmed Abdul Qadar (UAE) 63-09, 81-0, 84-40, 39-05; Susantha Botju (Sri Lanka) bt Khalid Al Damen (Jordan) 72-23, 48-51, 65-47, 72-01, 56-09, 84-30; Mohammad Nadir Sultani (Afghanistan) bt Khurram Agha (Pakistan) 59-26, 62-58, 58-16, 63-71, 70-1; Eissa Al Sayed (UAE) bt Mohammad Sajjad Rana 65-52, 72-03, 57-47, 41-62, 43-65, 75-23; Lai Chee Wei (Malaysia) bt Abdulla Aseeri (Saudia Arbia) 81-06, 75-01, 64-70; Jing Long (China) bt Lee Po-Hsien (Taiwan) 52-61, 62-51, 02-70, 72-36, 95-0, 68-20; Habib Subah (Bahrain) bt Au Chi Wai (Hong Kong) 17-50, 47-70, 60-03, 49-38, 91-01, 75-47; Nguyen Nhat Thanh (Vietnam) bt Salim Ali Salim (UEA) 26-63, 69-36, 75-37, 30-64, 26-61, 56-16; Yasin Merchant (India) bt Saleh Mohammad (Pakistan) 69-13, 72-32, 09-92, 29-98, 85-0, 72-08; Au Chi Wai (Hong Kong) bt Zhang Anda (China) 67-32, 66-55, 38-63, 04-87, 61-47, 65-0; Khalid Al Damen (Jordan) walkover Obaid Khalifa (UAE); Moo Ken Hoo (Malaysia) bt Susantha Boteju (Sri Lanka) 68-54, 69-23, 71-48, 72-21; Pankaj Advani (India) bt Umer A Kojah (Syria) 68-23, 73-01, 81-12, 71-10; Mohammad Mustufa Shehab (UAE) bt Kim Do Hoon (Korea) 76-01, 110-09, 77-50, 84-22; Khurram Agha (Pakistan) bt Yuske Tanaka (Japan) 76-38, 68-14, 64-29, 73-33.—Agencies