Pakistan’s top snooker player, Muhammad Asif, has claimed his sixth world title by winning the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship. He defeated India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 in a thrilling final held in Bahrain.
Asif had earlier lost to Damani in the group stage. But in the final, he made a strong comeback, showing calm under pressure. This win marks Asif’s fourth world title in an individual category and sixth overall.
The 36-year-old started the match well, winning the first two frames. Damani then fought back, taking the next three to lead 3-2. Asif responded with style, winning the sixth frame easily. In the deciding frame, he dominated with a final score of 78-9.
Earlier in the semi-final, Asif beat another Indian player, Manan Chandra, by 4-2. He won the first frame 118-6 but lost the next two. Asif then bounced back to take the last three frames and seal the win.
Speaking in a video message, Asif admitted that facing an Indian player in the final brought extra pressure. “Matches between Pakistan and India always carry strong emotions,” he said. “There was pressure to win no matter what.”
He dedicated his win to Pakistan and said he hopes to continue his winning streak in future IBSF events, including the Six-Red Masters.
It was a big day for Pakistan in snooker. Hasnain Akhtar, a rising star, won the IBSF World U-17 Championship. He beat Poland’s Riley Powell 4-0 in a one-sided final.
Hasnain became the first Pakistani to win the U-17 world title. His performance, dropping only one frame in the entire tournament, shows a bright future for snooker in Pakistan.
Also Read: Muhammad Asif IBSF World Masters Final
