Snooker ace Mohammad Asif achieves rare record at championship

Snooker champion Mohammad Asif made history by achieving a rare 147 break during the National Snooker Championship match against compatriot Ali Raza on Saturday. 

The maximum break is considered the pinnacle of snooker scoring. It involved potting all 15 reds with 15 blacks, followed by all six colours in a single visit to the table. 

Asif has become only the second player in Pakistan's National Snooker Championship history to achieve this rare record and the fourth Pakistani in the world of snooker. 

The milestone places him alongside the likes of Saleh Muhammad, who recorded a 147 at the 2008 Asian Championship, Muhammad Sajjad, who achieved it during the 2021 National Championship, and Ahsan Ramzan, who achieved the maximum break at the 2022 World U21 Championship.

"This is a special moment for me and I thank everyone who’ve supported me throughout my career,” said Asif after the feat.

Asif won the match 4-2 with frames score of 1-0, 54-21, 98(98)-0, 147(147)-0, 17-90(89) and 87-16.

The 147 break, also known as a maximum break, is a rare accomplishment at the highest levels of professional snooker.

It requires perfect shot-making, tactical skill, and strong nerves, making it the ultimate benchmark of excellence in the sport.

Asif, a three-time IBSF World Snooker Champion (2012, 2019, 2024), has been a stalwart of Pakistan snooker for over two decades.

Born in Faisalabad, he has represented Pakistan in numerous international events, earning widespread recognition for his consistency and composure.

His 2012 triumph made him the second Pakistani to win the IBSF World Championship, his 2019 victory cemented his legacy as one of the country’s finest snooker players, and by winning the IBSF World Championship last year, Asif confirmed his dominance as one of the greatest amateur snooker players in the world.