KARACHI: Two more seeded cueists including the defending champion Mohammad Asif Toba were tumbled as the 40th National Snooker Championship entered quarter-finals at Movenpick hotel on Friday.

It is pertinent to mention that on a day of upsets, five seeds failed to go beyond the league and crashed out on Thursday.

Former national champion Hamza Akbar cut incumbent national champion and fifth seed Toba to size registering an emphatic 5-2 victory to avenge his defeat that he suffered at the hands of latter in the final last year.

Hamza fought courageously from 1-2 down to post an incredible 28-64, 71-7, 1-54, 61-6, 79-46, 96-11, 63-7 victory over his opponent and earn a place in the last eight where he meets Mohammad Imran who blanked junior wildcard Amir Tariq straight in other match. Imran was home 74-9, 69-38, 65-49, 73-31, 57-8.

Seventh seed Mohammad Majid Ali was the other cueist who fell prey to wildcard Babar Masih in the nerve-tingling match 5-4. The latter won the duel 0-105, 71-25, 68-2, 10-83, 50-51, 56-34, 40-72, 55-53, 68-1.

Babar is slated to face Islamabad’s Shahram Changezi in quarters after the latter whipped Hunain Amir 5-1 (32-60, 109-0, 78-22, 81-8, 93-5, 66-45) with ease. The triumph includes a century break of 109 in the second frame.

Former Pakistan No.1 Khurram Agha, the 16th seed, took another step forward demolishing Zulfiqar A Qadir straight in all-Sindh encounter. Final scores were 75-2, 65-46, 53-2, 64-31, 64-1.

He is drawn to meet former world amateur snooker champion Mohammad Asif who sent Sindh’s Abdul Sattar packing 5-0 (68-43, 77-39, 83-0, 131-0, 84-0).

In the two other matches, Mohammad Sajjad whipped Rambel Gul 5-1 (78-28, 74-47, 65-41, 0-93, 88-13, 93-01) while Aakash Rafique prevailed over Sultan Mohammad 5-2 (61-34, 35-63, 63-22, 73-10, 53-8, 5-86, 65-8). Both the winners meets each other in the quarter-final.

Results:

Pre quarter-finals:

Babar Masih (Punjab) bt Mohammad Majid Ali (Punjab) 5-4 (0-105, 71-25, 68-2, 10-83, 50-51, 56-34, 40-72, 55-53, 68-1); Shahram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Hunain Amir (Punjab) 5-1 (32-60, 109-0, 78-22, 81-8, 93-5, 66-45); Khurram Agha (Sindh) bt Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) 5-0 (75-2, 65-46, 53-2, 64-31, 64-1); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Abdul Sattar (Sindh) 5-0 (68-43, 77-39, 83-0, 131-0, 84-0); Mohammad Imran (Punjab) bt Amir Tariq (Punjab) 5-0 (74-9, 69-38, 65-49, 73-31, 57-8); Hamza Akbar (Punjab) bt Mohammad Asif Toba (Punjab) 5-2 (28-64, 71-7, 1-54, 61-6, 79-46, 96-11, 63-7); Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bt Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) 5-2 (61-34, 35-63, 63-22, 73-10, 53-8, 5-86, 65-8); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Rambel Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 5-1 (78-28, 74-47, 65-41, 0-93, 88-13, 93-01).

Saturday’s fixtures:

Quarter-finals (best of nine frames)

At 12noon: Babar Masih (Punjab) v Shahram Changezi (Islamabad); Khurram Agha (Sindh) v Mohammad Asif (Punjab)

At 2.30pm: Mohammad Imran (Punjab) v Hamza Akbar (Punjab); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) v Aakash Rafique (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2015

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