Top seed Asjad crashes out of Snooker Cup

With three defeats in four games, Asjad Iqbal became the first major casualty to be knocked out of the cup.—File photo

KARACHI Continuing his lacklustre performance, top seed and international Asjad Iqbal went out of contention from the semi-final race after suffering two back-to-back defeats in the Snooker Cup at Karachi Club on Wednesday.

Asjad, winner of the second NBP Snooker Cup this year, had already lost 1-4 to Sindh's Abdul Sattar on the opening day. With three defeats in four games, he became the first major casualty to be knocked out.

He had three more fixtures against Mohammad Asif, Sohail Shehzad and Imran Shehzad in the next two days. He was blanked 4-0 by Sindh's Qasim Kamani with scores being 64-1, 76-38, 55-46, 72-48 in the morning and then went down 2-4 to Sindh's Umair Alam. The latter won the battle 1-74, 73-41, 51-38, 64-8, 29-60, 63-57.

Likewise, reigning national champion and second seed Mohammad Sajjad suffered second loss in as many days losing to Sharjeel Mehmood in six frames. Sharjeel chalked up 49-38, 8-69, 71-36, 58-32, 1-68, 57-22 victory to create quite a stir.

Results

Shahram Changezi (Punjab) bt Mohammad Javed (Punjab) 4-0 (70-8, 50-48, 72-36, 80-7); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Sharjeel Mehmood (KPK) 4-3 (95-1, 60-51, 40-83, 12-89, 62-22, 28-55, 86-6); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) 4-3 (20-83, 64-55, 66-42, 83-7, 0-100, 8-76, 66-49); Imran Qamar (Punjab) bt Nauman Awan (KPK) 4-0 (69-32, 65-25, 70-55, 59-16); Abdul Sattar (Sindh) bt Mohammad Asif (Punjab) 4-3 (62-46, 80-67, 16-91, 65-51, 47-63, 0-110, 67-20); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Umair Alam (Sindh) 4-1 (52-47, 76-37, 81-8, 44-64, 67-42); Qasim Kamani (sindh) bt Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) 4-0 (64-1, 76-38, 55-46, 72-48); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Rambel Gul (KPK) 4-1 (61-7, 58-34, 61-37, 39-69, 70-5); Nauman Awan (KPK) bt Mohammad Javed (Punjab) 4-3 (51-71, 65-28, 26-63, 70-45, 54-70, 71-25, 62-13); Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) bt Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) 4-2 (55-9, 64-35, 68-40, 34-47, 29-77, 73-70); Sharjeel Mehmood (KPK) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) 4-2 (49-38, 8-69, 71-36, 58-32, 1-68, 57-22); Imran Qamar (Punjab) bt Shahram Changezi (Punjab) 4-1 (14-43, 75-40, 73-29, 61-57, 56-17); Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) bt Abdul Sattar (Sindh) 4-1 (77-24, 79-24, 31-63, 71-19, 63-19); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Rambel Gul (KPK) 4-1 (77-13, 62-16, 52-66, 59-38, 104-2); Imran Shehzad (Punjab) bt Qasim Kamani (Sindh) 4-1 (97-16, 53-70, 78-29, 56-50, 67-57); Umair Alam (Sindh) bt Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) 4-2 (1-74, 73-41, 51-38, 64-8, 29-60, 63-57).

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