Hamza stuns Advani to become Asian champion

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Hamza Akbar stunned India’s Pankaj Advani in the final of the 31st ACBS Snooker Championship 2015 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday to become the only second Pakistani to wear the Asian crown.
According to the details made available by the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA), the 21-year-old Hamza overcame some anxious moments to edge out Advani 7-6 in the tensely fought final with the frame scores of 66-28, 32-56, 64-38, 55-34, 17-68, 56-44, 56-63, 66-39, 32-67, 34-62, 10-85, 56-54, 55-46. Fortunes fluctuated dramatically as the marathon final went to 13 frames.
Hamza drew the first blood but Advani equalised by winning the second frame.
Hamza won the next couple of frames to move 3-1 up before his rival narrowed the deficit by pocketing the fifth frame.
Hamza regained two-frame lead by winning the sixth frame but Advani made it 3-4 with a narrow win the seventh frame.
The Pakistani youngster went into 5-3 lead before his rival fought back and made it 5-all.
The advantage as well as the momentum swung Advani’s way when he made it 6-5 by winning the 11th frame rather leisurely.
Hamza kept the contest alive by winning the 12th frame by a whisker. He repeated the act in the decisive 13th frame to register the most important victory of his career yet.
Hamza received $7,000 along with the winner’s trophy.
The 29-year-old Advani had to be content with the runner-up award of $3,5000.
PBSA’s vice president Jawed H Karim announced a cash reward of Rs300,000 for Hamza.
Hamza’s victory avenged the defeat suffered by Saleh Mohammad at the hands of the same rival in the final of the World Championship in 2003 at Jiangmen, China, when Advani, then 18, became the youngest Indian to claim the world snooker title.
For Advani it was the third defeat in the title clash of the continental event.
He was downed by compatriots Alok Kumar and Aditya Mehta in 2004 and 2012 finals, respectively.
Hamza, who hails from the industrial town of Faisalabad, is only the second Pakistani cueist to capture the Asian crown. Mohammad Yousuf was the first. Hamza has brought back the continental title to the country after 17 years.
Mohammad Asif, who also belongs to Faisalabad, emulated Yousuf’s feat of winning the World Championship less than three years ago.
Yousuf, however, remains the only Pakistani cueist to have captured both the titles.