KARACHI, April 7: Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham won the 14th Asian under-21 snooker championship by getting the better of Pakistan’s Mohammad Majid Ali in the fully stretched final 6-5 in the Indian city of Indore on Sunday.

According to results available here, Majid, who scaled new heights by becoming first-ever Pakistani to reach the Asian juniors final, lost the decisive frame on pink ball after leading 2-0, 3-2, 4-3, and level at 5-5.

The Thai was home 62-63, 12-92, 91-1, 76-63, 24-73, 64-48, 37-85, 74-8, 112-15, 24-72, 63-46 in the marathon final.

Earlier, Majid brushed aside last year’s runner-up Chinese Zhu Yinghjui 5-1 to reach the final and enter his name in the annals of the game. Majid, making his second appearance in the Asian under-21 meet, conceded fourth frame while registering an emphatic 69-39, 60-48, 92-34, 0-101, 68-48, 76-36 victory over the Chinese opponent.

This was Majid’s second victory over the Chinese cueists in a day the first being against Lu Ning in the quarter-final.

Pakistan snooker team is due to arrive from Mumbai by PK 275 on Monday. National champion Hamza Akbar was the other cueist who made his exit in the pre quarter-final. Former world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Yousuf accompanied the team as manager-cum-coach.

Results: Final: Noppon SaengKham (Thailand) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Pakistan) 6-5 (62-63, 12-92, 91-1, 76-63, 24-73, 64-48, 37-85, 74-8, 112-15, 24-72, 63-46).

Semi-final: Mohammad Majid Ali (Pakistan) bt Zhu Yinghui (China) 5-1 (69-39, 60-48, 92-34, 0-101, 68-48, 76-36).

Opinion

Editorial

Geopolitical games
Updated 18 Dec, 2024

Geopolitical games

While Assad may be gone — and not many are mourning the end of his brutal rule — Syria’s future does not look promising.
Polio’s toll
18 Dec, 2024

Polio’s toll

MONDAY’s attacks on polio workers in Karak and Bannu that martyred Constable Irfanullah and wounded two ...
Development expenditure
18 Dec, 2024

Development expenditure

PAKISTAN’S infrastructure development woes are wide and deep. The country must annually spend at least 10pc of its...
Risky slope
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Risky slope

Inflation likely to see an upward trajectory once high base effect tapers off.
Digital ID bill
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Digital ID bill

Without privacy safeguards, a centralised digital ID system could be misused for surveillance.
Dangerous revisionism
Updated 17 Dec, 2024

Dangerous revisionism

When hatemongers call for digging up every mosque to see what lies beneath, there is a darker agenda driving matters.