Mohammad Sajjad. -File Photo

After a lull, Pakistan snooker was resurrected in a major way in 2010 due to cueist Mohammad Sajjad's phenomenal rise to the position of Asian No 2 as well the country fetching a bronze in the New-Delhi Asian Games team event later in the year.

His victim in the final was Passakorn Suwannawat whom he taught a lesson by handing 5-4 defeat. To beat a Thai cueist on his soil is a Herculean task and he (Sajjad) became the first Asian wild-card to win the honour for which he was richly rewarded 100,000 baht and another 15,000 baht as appearance money.

As if this wasn't enough, the Sargodha-born Pakistani stunned all and sundry by reaching the final of the 26th Asian snooker championship in the Thai city of Chanthaburi where he lost to Thailand's Issara Kuchaiwang 3-7 in the title clash. He earned yet another feat by scoring the highest century break (134) of the event against Sitthidead Sachbiang of Laos which earned him US$100 in addition to runner-up purse of US$1,200.

In another morale-boosting performance, Pakistan fetched a bronze in the Guangzhou Asian Games snooker team event through the trio of Imran Shahzad, Sohail Shahzad, Shahram Changezi. The medal was a result of 0-3 loss at the hands of India in the semi-final. The losing semi-finalists are entitled to get a bronze apiece.

Pakistan returned empty handed in the baize game from Doha Asiad four years back.

Sajjad joined compatriots Imran and Sohail as a wild-card in the world championship held at Damascus in the end of the year. He made his exit in last 16 (pre quarter-finals) whereas the other two went down in the preceding rounds.

Despite paucity of funds, the PBSA also sent Sajjad to feature in 6-Redball World Championship at Bangkok and the Shanghai Masters.

Earlier in the year, a three-member team comprising Asjad Iqbal, Mohammad Ahsan Jawaid and Mohammad Ishtiaq travelled to India to compete in 11th Asian under-21 snooker championship held at Indore. Asjad lost in the pre quarter-final while the other two failed to progress in knockout stage.

On the domestic front, Sajjad opened the year on a positive note by recapturing the national title for the second time in three years. He thrashed his pupil Asjad Iqbal 8-2 in the one-sided final.

However, the mercurial Asjad bounced back to win the second national ranking title while getting past Mohammad Asif 8-5 in the final played at Islamabad. The triumph also earned the winner a ticket for the Asian meet in addition to the national champion.

The Del Monte Snooker Cup, the third ranking event, threw a new champion in Imran Shahzad who whipped Sohail Shahzad 8-6 in the final played at the Karachi Club.

Mohammad Ahsan Jawaid annexed the national junior title by returning 5-3 victorious against Mohammad Ishtiaq in the beginning of the year.

The hiring of a foreign coach for a short stint in preparation for the Asian Games and world championship remained an exercise in futility.

Similarly, despite a number of assurances by responsible people no progress was made as far as handing over two academies to PBSA in Karachi and Lahore is concerned.

Upon completing one term, the existing PBSA set-up which was elected on September 9, 2008, got the nod for second term in the AGM held in the city on Nov 11. Contrary to other national federations, PBSA office-bearers have a two-year mandate which is in line with ACBS and IBSF.

Alamgir Shaikh, who succeeded Asghar Valika as PBSA president, has tried his level best to keep the ball rolling in the absence of a regular sponsor and lack of funds. Prior to his coming at the helm of affairs, 10 regular players had revolted against PBSA boycotting a national ranking event in Islamabad in Aug 2008 for better perks.

Taking it as a challenge, the PBSA incumbents signed central contracts with agitating players on Jan 1, 2009, thus putting an additional annual burden of Rs0.8 million on budget.

Meanwhile, the PBSA has ignored hosting of Latif Masters reducing the number of national ranking events in a calendar year from four to three probably for want of sponsor.

The last Latif Masters national ranking event was held three years back.

Snooker has become the game of masses for both poor as well as affluent, since celebrity Mohammad Yousuf captured the world amateur crown at Johannesburg and the nation expect good performances from them every now and then.