Pakistan stumble at first hurdle in men’s team Snooker

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan: Pakistan on Friday exited at the first hurdle when they were humiliated by Myanmar 3-1 in their first-round fixture of the men’s team snooker competitions of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games here at the well-equipped billiards hall of the Olympic Complex.

Keeping in view the high stature of Pakistan in world snooker, it was a frustrating run from the national cueists, who have to their credit some remarkable experience of playing with great authority at the highest level.

In the first match, Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal went 52-62 down to Myanmar’s Htet Ko. It was a gripping encounter in which Asjad, who was playing for the first time in the event, made mistakes that gave his opponent an opportunity to prevail in the contest that lasted for only 32 minutes.

Pakistan went 0-2 down when 31-year-old Mohammad Sajjad fell to Thu Moe Aung 72-28 in the second encounter that lasted for one hour and 25 minutes. Sajjad, also a runner-up at the world team championships, has shown no resolve in the entire event so far. He managed to win a bronze medal in the 6-Red snooker men’s singles meet when he was ousted by China’s Yan Bingtao in the semi-final the other day.

Pakistan reduced their deficit when the pair of Mohammad Bilal and Asjad Iqbal defeated Myanmar’s duo of Aung Moe Thu and Htet Ko 89-5 in the doubles, making the highest break of 89 of the fixture. The game lasted for one hour and 45 minutes.

However, Pakistan’s minor recovery did not deter Myanmar as 24-year-old Htet Ko overcame Sajjad in the fourth match 62-44 to help his side seal a comfortable win in the end. Ko fired a break of 60.

“Our cueists did not adjust well,” an official of Pakistan team told reporters.Till the last report received, Qatar had defeated Turkmenistan 3-1, Thailand had overcome Jordon 3-1 and Hong Kong had overwhelmed Philippines 3-0.

India and China had got byes in the first round of the 14-team competitions.Pakistan will now compete in the men’s singles snooker competitions which begin on Sunday (tomorrow). Sajjad will face Thailand’s Issara Kachaiwong in his round-of-32 battle while Asjad Iqbal will meet Basil Hasan Al-Shajjar of Philippines also in his round-of-32 meet. As many as three cueists are representing Pakistan in the competitions.