KARACHI The International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) on Friday released groups for the World Under-21 snooker championship scheduled to be held in Kish Island, Iran, from Aug 3 to 14.

Pakistan national junior champion Asjad Iqbal is drawn in group 'E' while Hamza Akbar is placed in group 'G'.

Forty-eight cueists from 18 countries, including eight from the host country Iran, are taking part in the event.

Two top players, after the round robin league, from each group will qualify for pre-quarter-finals.

Groups

'A' Shaheen Al Shaheen (Kuwait), Chuang Liu (China), Ali Jalil Ali (Iraq), Ali Obaidly (Qatar), Hussain Mahmood Ali (Bahrain), Iran No.5.

'B' Samer Kamal (Egypt), Shravan Mohta (India), Nabih Nasser (Lebanon), Nidhal Albaqshi (Saudi Arabia), Saker Razouk (Syria), Iran No.1.

'C' Imad Al-Tayab (Iraq), Kurt Brown (Australia), Mohamed Ibrahim (Egypt), Ayoub Matook (Lybia), Karam Fatima (Syria), Iran No.2.

'D' Kim Do-Hoon (South Korea), Vivek Chopra (India), Charles Chafe (Australia), Abdel Baset Beshir (Lybia), Noppon Saengkham (Thailand), Iran No.7.

'E' Yan Li (China), Abdulazid Al Bader (Kuwait), Mohammad Berjawi (Lebanon), Asjad Iqbal (Pakistan), Mohammed Alsofi (Syria), Iran No. 8.

'F' Ibrahim Suhail Al Khalfan (Bahrain), Shahbaaz Adil Khan (India), Mohana Obaidly (Qatar), Abdullah Al Shaikh (Saudi Arabia), Yuttapop Pakpoj (Thailand), Iran No. 3.

'G' Mazen Berjawi (Lebanon), Mohamed Al Muosawi (Bahrain), Adam Korwash (Lybia), Hamza Akbar (Pakistan), Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon (Thailand), Iran No.6.

'H' Abdulrahman Alammar (Saudi Arabia), Fady Mahmoud (Egypt), Hanqing Shi (China), Bogdan Cozmaciuc (Romania), Khalid Ali Kamali (UAE), Iran No.4.