Yousuf sneaks into last eight of ranking snooker
KARACHI: Outsider Mohammad Yousuf, who did Pakistan proud by reaching the zenith in world amateur snooker championship at Johannesburg in 1994, sneaked into the last eight after a layoff as Sultan Mohammad eclipsed his previous best century break (129) by piling up brilliant 132 against former international Naveen Perwani in the pre quarter-finals of the fourth NBP ranking snooker championship at DA Creek Club on Saturday.
But apart from top two cueists Mohammad Asif and Sultan Mohammad, at least four more seeded players were knocked out in the last 16 round.
In addition to Naveen, other players who met their fate included Mohammad Sajjad, Abdul Sattar and Vishan Gir.
Yousuf, 60, who topped group ‘G’, continued from where he had left by struggling to beat Mohammad Javed in the fully stretched marathon battle by 5-4 frames to end the jinx that compelled him not to go beyond league and last 16 for the last two to three years.
Yousuf was home 101-0, 26-63, 79-15, 74-31, 34-48, 54-46, 7-85, 28-80, 66-56).
“I played Sindh Cup once and was awarded one wildcard to qualify for playing the country’s premier championship and the circuit before moving to Punjab,” a delighted Yousuf told Dawn after the triumph.
Sultan, losing finalists of this year’s national’s to Asif, halted Naveen Perwani imposing to 5-2 victory.
He opened the match on aggressive note with a clearance of 132 in the opening frame. Naveen made comeback in the game twice but to no avail as his opponent won 132-0, 51-73, 83-47, 62-41, 32-91, 72-22, 85-22.
National champion Asif lived up to his billing giving a 5-3 drubbing to Abdul Sattar the score being 16-78, 27-68, 52-29, 100-6, 71-24, 59-65, 98-24, 73-65.
Wildcard Shehram Changezi from Islamabad created quite a stir while routing former Asian No 2 Mohammad Sajjad 5-3. The former won 71-55, 60-26, 5-55, 30-65, 42-52, 56-53, 58-28, 69-33.
Mohammad Majid, runner-up of the national junior championship, powered his way into the last eight by overcoming Vishan Gir 71-62, 70-59, 87-45, 50-85, 79-53, 12-87, 56-69, 68-59.
Similarly, Mohammad Nazeer outplayed Khurram Agha 5-1 while Shahid Aftab beat Mohammad Imran by the identical score line.
Results:
Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) bt Naveen Perwani (Sindh) 5-2 (132-0, 51-73, 83-47, 62-41, 32-91, 72-22, 85-22); Mohammad Asif (Punjab) bt Abdul Sattar (Sindh) 5-3 (16-78, 27-68, 52-29, 100-6, 71-24, 59-65, 98-24, 73-65); Mohammad Majid (Punjab) bt Vishan Gir (Sindh) 5-3 (71-62, 70-59, 87-45, 50-85, 79-53, 12-87, 56-69, 68-59); Mohammad Nazeer (Punjab) bt Khurram H. Agha (Sindh) 5-1 (60-42, 86-32, 53-11, 0-69, 72-58, 58-56); Shehram Changezi (Islamabad) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) 5-3 (71-55, 60-26, 5-55, 30-65, 42-52, 56-53, 58-28, 69-33); Shahid Aftab (Punjab) bt Mohammad Imran (Punjab) 5-1 (38-64, 83-12, 68-59, 71-28, 115-0, 62-61 ); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Farrukh Usman (Sindh) 5-3 (81-24, 106-25, 42-62, 56-1, 79-39, 39-77, 22-61, 73-37); Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab) bt Mohammad Javed (Punjab) 5-4 (101-0, 26-63, 79-15, 74-31, 34-48, 54-46, 7-85, 28-80, 66-56).
Sunday’s fixtures:
Quarter-finals (best of nine frames): 11am: Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) v Mohammad Asif (Punjab); Mohammad Majid (Punjab) v Mohammad Nazeer (Punjab); Shehram Changezi (Islamabad) v Shahid Aftab (Punjab); Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) v Mohammad Yousuf (Punjab).