KARACHI: Unseeded yet experienced Asjad Iqbal and former national champion Mohammad Bilal set an all-Punjab title clash after registering emphatic victories over their respective opponents in the semi-finals of the 44th National Snooker Championship at Karachi Gymkhana on Friday.

Experience prevailed as Asjad, who topped group B, faced little resistance while registering 6-2 victory over youthful reigning national U-21 champion Ali Haider to reach third national snooker championship final of his career.

With many international honours under his belt, Asjad took three hours to post 17-97, 96-17, 132-14, 65-45, 92-38, 9-73, 70-64, 66-7 victory over Haider.

The national title has eluded four-time NBP Cup champion Asjad twice in 2010 and 2017.

‘I’m in the best form and will go all out to end the title jinx in the final against Bilal on Saturday,’ the 27-year-old Asjad, who shocked top seed Babar Masih 5-4 in the quarter-final, told Dawn.

The Sargodha-based Asjad, who still held the highest break of 139 of the ongoing event under his name, notched up yet another century break of 124 in the third frame besides 62 in the fourth.

Though Haider lost yet he turned out to be the find of the country’s premier snooker championship

‘This was firstever semi-final of the national’s of my career as last year I could not go beyond last-eight after losing to Babar Masih, the Gujranwala-based 20-year-old cueist, who is a pupil of former national champion Bilal, told Dawn.

Haider was however elated that he will attain third or fourth national ranking at the end of the event.

After early hiccups and losing back-to-back frames to trail 1-2 in the best of 11 frame encounter, Bilal took a firm control on the match to post 6-3 victory over Sindh’s Zulfiqar in the second semi-final that lasted some three-and-a-half hours.

The former national champion, who emerged group E champion, romped home 108-1, 25-66, 37-81, 58-27, 64-51, 90-7, 0-97, 71-64, 72-62 to reach third final of national’s the previous two being 2016 (winner) and 2018 (runner-up).

After a fluent start winning the first frame 108-1 envisaged by an efficient break of 66, Bilal came at the receiving end as he lost the second 25-66 and third 37-81 that sounded alarm bells.

However, the Mandi Bahaudin cueist shrugged off the pressure taking the next three frames in a row 58-27, 64-51 and 90-7 only to lose the sixth 0-97. Bilal rounded off the match amid clapping as he won the eighth and ninth frames 71-64, 72-62.

‘I’m happy on the triumph and looking forward to regain the title on Saturday,’ he told Dawn.

Bilal, who has maintained his form for the last four years, become emotional while narrating his ordeal in the absence of job. ‘I’m finding it extremely difficult to continue as being eldest and married with three children to support,’ the 31-year-old cueist told Dawn.

Zulfiqar, who has carried Sindh’s flag aloft in the game which is dominated by Punjab, attributed his defeat to ‘missing the easy chances’.

Results:

Semi-finals:

Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Ali Haider (Punjab) 6-2 (17-97, 96-17, 132-14, 65-45, 92-38, 9-73, 70-64, 66-7); Mohammad Bilal (Punjab) bt Zulfiqar A. Qadir (Sindh) 6-3 (108-1, 25-66, 37-81, 58-27, 64-51, 90-7, 0-97, 71-64, 72-62).

Saturday’s fixture:

At 10am: Asjad Iqbal vs Mohammad Bilal (best of 15 frames final).

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2019