Pakistan’s snooker stars Muhammad Asif and Hasnain Akhtar have secured spots in the finals of their respective categories at the IBSF World Snooker Championships being held in Manama, Bahrain, marking a proud moment for the country’s cue sports.
Veteran cueist Muhammad Asif delivered a composed and clinical performance to defeat India’s Manan Chandra 4-2 in the semi-final of the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship on Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain. The frame scores stood at 118-6, 0-84, 25-76, 92-11, 87-62, and 72-41.
Asif, a former world amateur champion, began the match on a high note, dominating the opening frame with a brilliant break that saw him win 118-6. Although Chandra bounced back strongly to win the next two frames and take a 2-1 lead, Asif showcased his experience and resilience by winning the next three frames consecutively to secure the win and a place in the final.
He will now face either Vijay Nichani or Brijesh Damani, both from India, in the championship final. Interestingly, Damani had defeated Asif earlier in the group stage, setting up a potential revenge encounter should they meet again.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Hasnain Akhtar, one of Pakistan’s most promising young cueists, continued his remarkable run in the IBSF World U17 Snooker Championship, storming into the final with a dominant 4-0 victory over Poland’s Oliwier Nizialek.
Hasnain, who has lost only one frame throughout the tournament, was in complete control from the outset. He secured the first three frames with ease, not allowing his opponent to score in double digits. Though Nizialek tried to mount a comeback in the fourth frame, Hasnain maintained his composure to seal the match with scores of 76-1, 69-8, 88-0, and 62-37.
He will now face Wales’ Riley Powell in the final scheduled for Friday. A day earlier, Hasnain had defeated Poland’s Krzysztof Czapnik 3-1 in the semi-final with another strong showing.
With both Asif and Hasnain reaching the finals, Pakistan’s presence in international snooker continues to grow stronger, reflecting the country’s emerging and experienced talent in the sport.
