KARACHI After making an impact in the juniors circuit last year, the highly talented qualifier Asjad Iqbal has reached the final of the 35th National Snooker Championship by outclassing 12th ranked Mohammad Jawed 6-2 in the all-Punjab first semi-final at Karachi Gymkhana on Sunday. He is set to meet country's top player and his mentor Mohammad Sajjad in the Monday's title clash after the latter rallied to overcome fighting Sindh's Sohail Shehzad 6-4 in the other pre-final.
By virtue of making it to the final, Asjad and Sajjad have booked a passage for Thailand where 26th Asian championship takes place from May 8 to 15.
The former has already represented Pakistan in the IBSF World under-21 Snooker Championship in Iran in the preceding year.
Making his maiden appearance in the country's premier championship of the game, the former national junior champion who edged past Shehram Changezi 5-3 in quarters on Saturday, recovered after he saw 1-0 lead slipped from his hands to post magnificent 6-2 victory over his opponent.
He won the four-hour encounter 51-44, 18-92, 43-64, 70-22, 50-44, 57-22, 92-28, 61-26.
Contrary to the first semi-final, the second between Mohammad Sajjad and Sohail Shehzad was fought fiercely.
Sajjad, who lost his national crown to Mohammad Asif last year, survived a scare when he fought back from 1-3 down to turn the tables on his opponent winning 6-4 the scores being 30-80, 74-26, 40-78, 65-94, 70-1, 82-36, 79-48, 70-51, 32-63, 65-42.
Sajjad also piled up two steady breaks of 70 and 55 in the seventh and eighth frames respectively while his opponent hammered a break of 70 in the third.
The winner will receive Rs50,000 while the runner up earns Rs30,000 out of total prize money of RS125,000.
Results
Semi-finals Asjad Iqbal (Punjab) bt Mohammad Jawed (Punjab) 6-2 (51-44, 18-92, 43-64, 70-22, 50-44, 57-22, 92-28, 61-26); Mohammad Sajjad (Punjab) bt Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) 6-4 (30-80, 74-26, 40-78, 65-94, 70-1, 82-36, 79-48, 70-51, 32-63, 65-42).
