Under-18, under-21 snooker events from next week

KARACHI: The cue sports activities at the national level, under a new team of elected office-bearers, will resume with the twin snooker tournaments starting in the federal capital next week.

The details about the National Under-18 Snooker Championship and the National Under-21 Snooker Championship were unfolded by the newly-elected president of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), Munawwar Hussain Shaikh, at a media briefing at the Karachi Gymkhana on Thursday.

The format as well as the prize money of the twin youth events, to be staged at the PSB Complex, Islamabad, from January 16 to 26, are identical.

A total of 32 cueists, to be divided in eight groups for the preliminary rounds, will take part in each of the two tournaments with the top two to proceed to the knockout rounds, starting with the pre-quarter-finals.

The preliminary round matches will be best-of-five-frame contests. The pre-quarter-finals and the quarter-finals will be best-of-seven-frame encounters.

The semi-finals will be best-of-nine-frame matches. The finals will be best-of-11-frame fixtures.

The winners will receive Rs50,000, while the runners-up will get Rs25,000.

The losing semi-finalists and the losing quarter-finalists will get Rs15,000 and Rs5,000 each, respectively.

The highest break carries a reward of Rs5,000.

Besides waiving the entry fee, the new executive committee has also decided to provide board and lodging to all the participants. Haris Tahir and Mohammad Saqib will defend the Under-18 and the Under-21 titles, respectively.

On the occasion, Munawwar Shaikh paid glowing tributes to Ali Asghar Valika and Alamgir Shaikh for having taken snooker to an incredibly high level.

“Our team considers itself extremely fortunate for having the blessings of both. We are eager to take their mission forward with greater force,” he said.

Alamagir Shaikh spoke of continued backing of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) with whom the PBSA did not have a pleasing relationship at the start of his first tenure in 2008.

Tahir Ahmed, Managing Director, Jubilee General Insurance, was appreciative of the growth of snooker in the recent past.

While assuring the PBSA of support, he expressed confidence in the new executive committee.

“The success of Pakistani cueists at the international level and the fierce competition at the national level augur well for the future of cue sports. We remain committed to supporting the PBSA,” he said.

On the occasion, gold medals were presented to Alamgir Shaikh, Tahir Ahmed, and Javed Ahmed, Managing Director, Jubilee Life Insurance, in recognition of their contributions to snooker.