Imran, Yousuf, Naveen, Khurram move ahead in Masters Snooker

KARACHI: Imran Shahzad, Mohammad Yousuf, Naveen Kumar Perwani and Khurram Hussain Agha cruised into the knockout phase of the inaugural Jubilee Insurance National Masters Snooker Championship 2017 whose league matches concluded at the Champions Snooker Academy in Lahore on Monday.

According to the details made available by the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), all the eight pre-quarters-finals, to be spread over four sessions, will be taking place on Tuesday (today).

In the opening session, due to start at 10 am, Shah Khan (KP) will take on Waheed Ahmed (Punjab) and Mukhtar Khan (Sindh) will clash with Azhar Khan (Punjab). In the second session, scheduled to commence at noon, Aamir Sohail (Punjab) will meet Khurram Agha (Sindh) and Atif Mughal will combat Mohammad Nadeem.

In the third session, due to get underway at 2 pm, Imran Shahzad (Punjab) will battle against Mujtahid Ali Shah (KP), while Noman Awan (KP) will be pitted against Shahzad Butt (Punjab).

The all-Sindh pre-quarter-final between Naveen Perwani and Mohammad Yousaf will begin at 4 pm alongwith the fixture between Mahmood Khan (Balochistan) and Naseem Paracha (Sindh).

A total of 32 cueists over the age of 40 from all over the country entered the tournament’s preliminary rounds at the end of which top two cueists from each group advanced to the knockout phase.

Imran and Khurram qualified from the Group A, while Naveen and Waheed topped the Group B.

Shah and Yousuf advanced from the Group C, while Aamir and Mahmood made it from the Group D.

Naseem and Atif shared the top two slots in the Group E, while the honours in the Group F were shared between Azhar and Mujtahid. Shahzad and Mukhtar stood out in the Group G and Nadeem and Noman in the Group H.

Results: Naseem Paracha (Sindh) bt Zaheeruddin Babar (KP) 3-0 (60-9, 71-23, 73-13); Azhar Khan (Pjb) bt Saeed Baloch (Bal) 3-0 (1-0, 70-25, 61-28); Mukhtar Khan (Sindh) bt Yousuf Khan (KP) 3-0 (walkover); Mohammad Nadeem (Pjb) bt Sunil Samuel Shahani (Sindh) 3-0 (70-33, 59-45, 76-23); Khurram Hussain Agha (Sindh) bt Amanullah (KP) 3-0 (73-10, 86-14, 66-6); Waheed Ahmed (Pjb) bt Akhtar Mohammad (Bal) 3-0 (56-25, 62-41, 55-1); Mohammad Yousuf (Sindh) bt Mohammad Shahid (Pjb) 3-0 (71-32, 73-29, 76-32); Aamir Sohail (Pjb) bt Saeed-ur-Rahman (KP) 3-2 (1-0, 79-64, 26-56, 13-64, 67-64); Atif Mughal (Pjb) bt Chaudhry Shahzad Mahmood (Isb) 3-0 (62-13, 69-44, 62-20); Mujtahid Ali Shah (KP) bt Mirza Shadab Baig (Sindh) 3-2 (29-61, 30-62, 71-1, 68-28, 81-72); Shahzad Butt (Pjb) bt Arshad Ali Qureshi (Isb) 3-2 (89-24, 41-65, 59-27, 40-49, 51-7); Noman Awan (KP) bt Muhammad Yousuf (Jr) (Bal) 3-1 (49-36, 45-54, 52-15, 56-12); Imran Shahzad (Pjb) bt Saqib Bashir (Bal) 3-0 (98-1, 56-1, 105-1); Naveen Kumar Perwani (Sindh) bt Rashid Mahmood (KP) 3-2 (57-48, 49-84, 61-8, 68-71, 75-31); Shah Khan (KP) bt Saeed Ahmed (Bal) 3-0 (70-27, 71-49, 66-8); Mahmood Khan (Bal) bt Aamir Samdani (Sindh) 3-1 (60-24, 19-59, 67-25, 57-29); Naseem Paracha (Sindh) bt Chaudhry Shahzad Mahmood (Isb) 3-1 (61-43, 26-68, 88-31, 61-39); Mirza Shadab Baig (Sindh) bt Saeed Baloch (Bal) 3-2 (51-75, 36-58, 57-37, 60-33, 56-44); Shahzad Butt (Pjb) bt Mukhtar Khan (Sindh) 3-2 (59-67, 34-59, 78-37, 70-38, 73-9); Mohammad Nadeem (Pjb) bt Noman Awan (KP) 3-2 (59-50, 37-45, 30-55, 75-36, 110-9).