KARACHI: Pakistan No 1 Imran Shahzad and Khurram Agha, who represented the country in the Guangzhou Asian Games, set a title clash as their two teammates Mohammad Sajjad and Sohail Shahzad failed to go beyond the league in the Latif Masters Snooker Championship at Karachi Club on Tuesday.
Imran, 35, who surged to the top in National ranking after winning the third ranking tournament of the circuit, conceded two frames while getting the better of former national champion Naveen Perwani 5-2 while Khurram overcame Vishan Gir 5-3 in the two pre-finals played over best of nine frames.
The best of 11 frames final between Imran and Khurram will be played on Wednesday at 3.00pm.
The fraternity of the game was taken aback when finalists of 2007 national championship, Naveen and Vishan, stormed into the last four from group B in presence of ranking players. Vishan had topped the group while Naveen finished runner-up.
Imran had an steady start when he raced to win three frames in a row 89-14, 77-33, 66-19 cracking elegant breaks of 74 and 65 in the first and second. Losing the early frames however, did not deter Naveen who reduced the deficit 2-3 grabbing the fourth and fifth 78-28, 85-1. It proved to be the last laugh for the former champion as Imran wrapped up winning the next two frames 49-40, 68-57.
Like Imran, Khurram, who is not among the top eight of the current ranking and managed to finish second in group A, had a firm start when he surged to a 3-0 lead - 82-53, 64-40, 96-24 - before losing the fourth 51-61. He enhanced his lead to 4-1 winning the fifth frame 71-45 only to lose the next two 56-71, 16-69. Needing just one frame he won the eighth 72-42. Khurram piled up two half century breaks of 83 and 51 in the third and fourth frames.
Earlier, Mohammad Sajjad suffered his third successive defeat when he was blanked 4-0 by Sohail Shahzad to finish sixth in the group.
Results: Sohail Shahzad bt Mohammad sajjad 4-0 (78-17, 142-0, 67-31, 70-35); Qasim Kamani bt Sultan Mohammad (walkover); Naveen Perwani bt Vishan Gir 4-3 (22-67, 31-61, 45-56, 57-30, 81-18, 81-42, 83-38); Imran Shahzad bt Abdul Sattar 4-0 (64-59, 72-27, 71-58, 84-32); Khurram Agha bt Umair Alam 4-1 (56-64, 71-15, 76-16, 53-46, 71-0); Asim Ghani bt Azeem Yousuf 4-3 (66-8, 63-31, 7-55, 71-6, 13-56, 42-73, 50-41).Semi-finals: Imran Shahzad bt Naveen Perwani 5-2 (89-14, 77-33, 66-19, 28-78, 1-85, 49-40, 68-57); Khurram Agha bt Vishan Gir 5-3 (82-53, 64-40, 96-24, 51-61, 74-45, 56-71, 16-69, 72-42). Wednesday's fixtures: Imran Shahzad v Khurram Agha (final) at 3.00pm
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