The pre-quarterfinals of the Asian Men’s Snooker Championship in Qatar delivered mixed results for Pakistan’s cueists. While Shahid Aftab and Mohammad Asif secured victories to move into the next round, Mohammad Sajjad’s journey ended after a hard-fought defeat.
National champion Shahid Aftab demonstrated his strong form on Tuesday, earning a convincing 4-1 win over China’s Zhou Jinhao with frame scores of 59-54, 63-30, 99(71)-1, 6-65, and 62-38 in the round of 16. The 43-year-old had previously defeated Singapore’s Sunny Wang 4-1 in the last-32 round and continued his impressive run toward the title.
Read More: Ahsan Ramzan, Snooker Champion, Arrested in Lahore
In contrast, Mohammad Sajjad struggled to find his rhythm and suffered a 4-1 loss against Iran’s Amir Sarkosh, who took control of the match from the start.
Meanwhile, former World Amateur Champion Mohammad Asif secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory against South Korea’s Youngjun Park in a tense seven-frame battle. Despite losing the opening frame, the 42-year-old held his composure to claim the win with frame scores of 61(61)-71, 91(56)-27, 6-97, 72(56)-60, 10-68, 110(100)-14, and 66-50. He will now take on Amir Sarkosh in the quarterfinals.
Pakistan’s young snooker talents also made a strong impression in the Asian Under-21 Championship, with Hamza Ilyas and Ahsan Ramzan registering dominant victories.
With both senior and junior players excelling at the continental event, Pakistan’s snooker scene continues to flourish, hinting at a promising future for the sport in the country.
