Naseem checks into U21 snooker quarters

ISLAMABAD: Defending champion Muhammad Naseem Akhtar (Punjab) checked into the quarter-finals of the 10th National Junior Under-21 Snooker Championship following easy win over Fahad Ghaffar (Islamabad) here at the PSB Complex Hall Wednesday.

Naseem beat Fahad 70-04, 75-8(75), 11-52, 63-43, 69-10.Last year’s runner-up Haris Tahir (Punjab) and six other players also qualified for the quarter-finals. The others who have made it to the last eight stage are Sheikh Muhammad Mudassir, Usman Ahmed, Muhammad Shahbaz, Raees Ali Usama, Muhammad Umer Khan (all from Punjab) and Ali Zaman Khan of Sindh.

The best match of the day was between Raees Ali Usama and Ahsan Ramzan (Punjab), which ended at the black ball in the best of seven match. The score was 29-74, 22-65, 54-43, 23-70, 74-48, 64-16, 57-52.

Highlights of the day of pre-quarter-finals were two big breaks by Muhammad Naseem Akhtar (75) against Fahad Ghaffar of Islamabad, Ali Zaman Khan of Sindh (58) against Usman Khurshid (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Haris Tahir of Punjab (52) against Hamza Aftab (KP).

Results: Shaikh Muhammad Mudassir (Pjb) bt Abdul Aziz (Bal) 65-24, 49-28, 39-59, 57-31, 36-69, 76-15; Usman Ahmed (Pjb) bt Rabish Pervaiz (Bal) 53-62, 67-40, 51-36, 53-40, 14-69, 66-50); Muhammad Shahbaz (Pjb) bt Umer Farooq (Pjb) 39-52, 64-18, 57-47, 52-31, 29-62, 20-56, 60-41; Raees Ali Usama (Pjb) bt Ahsan Ramzan (Pjb) 29-74, 22-65, 54-43, 23-70, 74-48, 64-16, 57-52; Muhammad Naseem Akhtar (Pjb) bt Fahad Ghaffar (Isb) 70-04, 75-8(75), 11-52, 63-43, 69-10; Ali Zaman Khan (Sindh) bt Usman Khurshid (KP) 66-06, 56-8, 90-14(58), 50-0; Muhammad Umar Khan (Pjb) bt Shahzaib Malik (Pjb) 80-28, 63-25, 58-26, 50-80, 67-19; Haris Tahir (Pjb) bt Hamza Aftab (KP) 74-29, 74-25, 74-19, 74-07.