DUBAI, May 6: Pakistan’s cueists Saleh Mohammad, Khurram Agha and Mohammad Sajjad had a great day in the 24th Asian snooker championship as they won their respective matches at the Dubai Police Officers Club Hall here on Monday evening.

Saleh, who is under the spotlight after his historic record-shattering break of 147 on the first day, overcame Jordan’s Abdulla Okaily 4-2.

The Pakistani started with a break of 87. However, Okaily, who stunned top-seed India’s Yasin Merchant the previous day, pulled the next frame.

The breaks of 36 and 41 helped Saleh took 3-1 lead.

Okaily played a break of 48 to win the next frame to make it 3-2.

Saleh then settled the issue by potting the deciding black ball to win the interesting final frame 58-51.

Saleh’s group was reduced to five players after the pull-out of Iran’s Ahmed Mazahedi who had completed his four league match outing and barring any miracle qualified for the pre-quarter-final round.

Mohammad Sajjad recovered after dropping the first frame to rout Khaled Al Awais of Kuwait 4-1.

Sajjad lost the opening frame on a black ball but picked the next four, which included a break of 74 in the fourth frame, to win the match.

Khurram Agha defeated Vietnam’s Phan Thanh Thuy 4-2. After winning the first two frames, Khurram allowed his opponent to level the lead 2-2, laced with a break of 54 in the third frame.

However, Khurram, after a lapse in concentration, out-potted Thuy to seize victory.

India’s Pankaj Advani reached the knock-out round after defeating Habib Subah of Bahrain 4-2 which included his second century break.

Highly talented Advani constructed the break of 120 in the fourth and 63 in the last frame to record his fifth win.

Advani will meet sixth seed Zhang Anda of China to decide the Group ‘F’ champion.

Mohammad Sajjad and Khurram Agha will play their next matches on Wednesday. If they win, they will be in the last-16 round of the championship.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) president Asghar Valika said Saleh would be honoured for his break of 147.

“The break of 147 is an elusive feat and we would definitely honour him. But, before that, our mission is to win the championship,” he added.

“It’s great honour for Pakistan that Saleh is the first player in the 24-year history of the Asian snooker to achieve this feat,” Valika maintained.

He said the PBSA would approach federal and provincial sport ministries and the Pakistan Sports Trust to announce financial rewards for Saleh.

The UAE Billiards and Snooker Association has already announced cash prize of US$5,000 and a 5,000-Dirham watch for Saleh which will be presented to him at the presentation ceremony after the final.

Results:

Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan) bt Khaled Al Awais (Kuwait) 52-57, 57-33, 107-0, 116-07, 69-34; Khurram Agha (Pakistan) bt Phan Thanh Thuy (Vietnam) 80-39, 86-36, 24-76, 15-60, 64-13, 60-24; Saleh Mohammad (Pakistan) bt Abdulla Okaily (Jordan) 27-78, 66-22, 70-48, 45-72, 58-51; Pankaj Advani (India) bt Habib Subah (Bahrain) 60-29, 54-63, 120-08, 13-79, 63-57; Ahmed Saif (Qatar) bt Zuraish Hashim (Sri Lanka) 96-20, 93-05, 82-17, 69-11; Jin Long (China) bt Thepachaiya Un-noo (Thailand) 57-40, 101-25, 95-26, 74-09, 75-01; Mohammad Mustufa Shehab (UAE) bt Takao Kuraminto (Japan) 52-60, 64-31, 83-23, 113-14, 63-35; Renat William Denak (Iraq) bt Khaled Al Damen (Jordan) 87-27, 60-25, 58-30, 50-18; Au Chi Wai (Hong Kong) bt Hwang Chui Ho (Korea) 117-01, 94-01, 103-15, 63-28; Moh Keen Hoo (Malaysia) bt Lim Chun Kiat (Singapore) 25-72, 71-30, 58-55, 57-53, 73-0; Omar Al Alyiani (Saudi Arabia) bt Omar Al Kojah (Syria) 17-69, 85-49, 60-39, 56-27, 62-43; Lai Chee Wei (Malaysia) bt Passakoran Suwannawat (Thailand) 63-37, 62-04, 53-41, 0-113, 67-51.—APP