KARACHI, Feb 9: Unseeded Mohsin Ameen shrugged off the challenge from top seed and Punjab champion Amir Tariq in epic all-Punjab final 6-4 to win his maiden title in the Jubilee Insurance fifth national junior under-21 snooker championship at hotel Sheraton on Saturday.

The eventual champion led 5-0 at the end of first session in the best of 11 frames final that lasted over five hours. Final scores were 71-30, 50-44, 57-23, 70-53, 66-52, 16-78, 19-63, 27-61, 4-98, 70-15.

Both the winner and runner-up qualified for the 14th Asian under-21 snooker championship being held at Indore, India, from April 1 to 7.

The match was about to end in complete one-sided fashion when Amir changed its scenario by extending his opponent to 10 frames before bowing out.

“I’m indebted to Allah who blessed me with the first major title of my career,” Mohsin, who belongs to Lahore, told Dawn soon after the victory.

Mohsin, who has picked up the cue sport some three years back, said he was confident of winning laurels after making it to the knockout quarter-finals. Later, he went on to beat Sindh champion and second seed Khizar Aziz in the quarters and fifth seed and former junior international Hamza Akbar in the semis.

For runner-up Amir, it was the first defeat that he had tasted in the entire event. He still felt proud of beating IBSF world snooker champion Mohammad Asif in quarters on way to capturing the all-Faisalabad snooker tournament some six months back before the latter’s remarkable feat in Sofia, Bulgaria.

At the outset, Mohsin had a firm grip taking five frames 71-30, 50-44, 57-23, 70-53, 66-52, in a row when his concentration shattered and he conceded next four frames 16-78, 19-63, 27-61, 4-98 to lead 5-4. Needing only one frame to win, Mohsin clinched the 10th frame 70-15 to seal the fate.

Mohsin received a purse of Rs40,000 and winners trophy while Amir took home Rs20,000 and runner-up trophy from the chief guest Mr Tahir Ahmed of the Jubilee Insurance.

Hamza Akbar, also from Punjab, was awarded Rs5,000 for highest break of 120 against M Usman in the league.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Tahir applauded the winner and runner-up and said “youngsters have hunger in them and, if given opportunities, they can rise to the top in the world.

Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) president Alamgir Shaikh declared that top four cueists of the event — Mohsin Ameen, Amir Tariq, Hamza Akbar and Mohammad Majid Ali — will be given wildcards in all the four national ranking tournaments of the calendar.

PBSF vice-president Jawaid Karim was also present.

Final results:

Mohsin Ameen (Punjab) bt Amir Tariq (Punjab) 6-4 (71-30, 50-44, 57-23, 70-53, 66-52, 16-78, 19-63, 27-61, 4-98, 70-15). Referee: Shabbir Hussain Daruwala.