KARACHI: In an upset galore, four seeded cueists who were among the top eight including national champion Mohammad Bilal and former world champion Mohammad Asif faced stunning defeats in the pre quarter-finals of the second ranking snooker championship at hotel Movenpick Arcade on Wednesday.

Sixth seed Shahram Changezi and eighth seed Abdul Jawed were the other two who fell prey to unseeded opponents.

The unseeded quartet who stepped into the quarter-finals includes Shahid Aftab, Abu Saim, Asif Toba and Ian Mark John. They were joined by Sohail Shehzad, Babar Masih, Mohammad Sajjad and Asjad Iqbal.

The best of nine frames quarter-finals will be played on Thursday at 10am. Abu Saim takes on Ian Mark John, Asif Toba faces Babar Masih, Shahid Aftab is pitted against Sohail Shehzad and Asjad Iqbal will be up against Sajjad.

In the biggest upset, 13th seed and a former national champion Shahid Aftab whipped national champion Bilal by 5-2 frames 74-26, 0-97, 42-83, 63-50, 74-20, 62-19, 59-49 to sneak into last eight.

Similarly, 16th seed Saim sent third seed Mohammad Asif packing 5-1 in style with scores being 46-39, 73-35, 70-15, 23-64, 77-31, 68-37.

Former national champion Toba, who is trailing at 28th slot in the national ranking, blanked sixth seed Shahram Changezi straight 93-15, 77-42, 79-51, 56-45, 73-66 while lower ranked local player Ian Mark John struggled to down eighth seed Abdul Jawed in the fully stretched battle (first frame awarded to Jawed), 42-51, 30-74, 69-39, 64-16, 19-81, 83-42, 75-71, 99-0).

In the other four encounters, Sohail, Babar, Sajjad and Asjad justified their credentials. In an all-Sindh clash, national championship runner-up Shehzad overcome Zulfiqar A Qadir 5-4 68-9, 24-65, 75-43, 33-75, 28-65, 11-58, 71-11, 62-36, 60-37.

Fourth seed Babar Masih chalked up a break of 104 in the opening frame while removing Sharjeel Mehmood 5-1 (107-29, 76-37, 72-17, 50-54, 107-10, 83-16).

Former world No 2 Sajjad also hammered a break of 104 while registering an emphatic 5-2 victory over Mohammad Faheem (58-21, 65-16, 2-66, 63-33, 61-48, 33-72, 104-0) while Asjad surged while getting the better of Mohammad Ijaz 5-3 (12-67, 81-1, 52-44, 83-42, 78-43, 25-75, 31-55, 123-0).

Results:

Pre quarter-finals:

Abu Saim (Punjab) bt Mohammad Asif (Punjab) 5-1 (46-39, 73-35, 70-15, 23-64, 77-31, 68-37); Ian Mark John (Sindh) bt Abdul Jawed (Punjab) 5-4 (0-1 (first frame awarded to Jawed), 42-51, 30-74, 69-39, 64-16, 19-81, 83-42, 75-71, 99-0); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) 5-0 (93-15, 77-42, 79-51, 56-45, 73-66); Babar Masih (Punjab) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-1 (107-29, 76-37, 72-17, 50-54, 107-10, 83-16); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) 5-2 (74-26, 0-97, 42-83, 63-50, 74-20, 62-19, 59-49); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Zulfiqar A.Qadir (Sindh) 5-4 (68-9, 24-65, 75-43, 33-75, 28-65, 11-58, 71-11, 62-36, 60-37); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Mohammad Ijaz (Punjab) 5-3 (12-67, 81-1, 52-44, 83-42, 78-43, 25-75, 31-55, 123-0); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Mohammad Faheem (Punjab) 5-2 (58-21, 65-16, 2-66, 63-33, 61-48, 33-72, 104-0).

Thursday’s fixtures:

Quarter-finals (best-of-nine frames) at 10am:

Abu Saim (Punjab) v Ian Mark John (Sindh); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) v Babar Masih (Punjab); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) v Sohail Shehzad (Sindh); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) v Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab).

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2016