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Khurram, Sajjad bow out of Asian Snooker quarters
Dubai—Pakistan duo of Khurram Agha and Muhammad
Sajjad Rana bowed out from the quarter-final stage of 24th Asian
Snooker Championship after a keen tussle on Thursday evening.
Last year’s Asian number three Khurram, who toppled favorites
Muhammad Shehab, fought gallantly before going down against former
Asian Champion Jin Long of China 5-3 at Dubai Police Club Hall here.
Debutant Muhammad Sajjad showing fighting qualities against Aditya
Mehta of India, missed a crucial green in the eighth frame before
Making his exit after a 3-5 defeat.
However both Khurram and Sajjad offered their opponent a great
challenge before going out. However Saleh Muhammad’s 0-5 defeat
against Pankaj Advani however was disappointing.
Khurram put up a brave fight after conceding 0-3 lead to Jin Long,
Who made break of 74 in the second frame. Ex-Pakistan number one
Khurram took frame four with a brilliant break of 62 which saw him
reducing the deficit.
Jin Long posted a break of 74 in the sixth frame to consolidate his
position. Khurram bounced back in the match added with a neatly
carved out clearance of 79 to make it 3-4.
However Chinese cueist stopped Khurram’s threat by picking the 8th
frame 76-27 to qualify for the pre-final.
Like Khurram, Sajjad staged a magnificent recovery from 1-3 Down to
level it 3-3. But Indian youngster Aditya kept his nerves to win
intriguing next frame to enter the semifinal.
Sajjad was heading to grab the exciting eighth frame after a break
of 19 he failed to pot a green ball in the top pocket to get Indian
opponent off the hooks. Aditya potted the green, brown, blue, pink
and black ball to emerge winner.
2003 world amateur champion Pankaj Advani, Jin Long and Moh Keen Hoo
of Malysia also cruised into the semifinals with victories.
Pankaj, who is rated favorites for the crown, showed his class after
Bulajaing from China forge to gain 3-1 lead with superb cue control
and break-building.
Bulajaing got off to sterling with clearance of 113 in the opening
frame and also picked the second. Pankaj pulled back third before
Chinese got in control by grabbing the fourth frame in impeccable.
22-year-old from Banglore Pankaj, who beat Pakistan’s Saleh Muhammad
in the world championship in China in 2003, staged a remarkable
recovery and made Bulajaing mere a spectator with dazzling
performances and precision display.
A classic break of 119 - his third century break in competition, saw
him at his brilliant best and he made it 3-3 by winning the next
frame.
The mounting pressure saw Bulajaing making crucial missing in eighth
frame which allowed Pankaj to gain 4-3 lead and he sealed the fate
of the quarterfinal by seizing final frame 112-13 that included a
break of 86.
Keen Moh Hoo of from Malaysia beat Hong Kong’s Fung Kowk Wai 5-2
after match was tied 2-2.
In an interesting scenario Fung Kowk was warned by Saudi referee
Abdulla Janafi for misbehaviour.
Following are quarterfinal results: Jin Long (China) bt Khurram Agha
(Pakistan) 5-3 (48-58, 07-74, 61-68, 84-52, 01-87, 79-0, 76-27),
Aditya Mehta (India) bt Muhammad Sajjad Rana (Pakistan) 5-3 (58-05,
10-73, 01-119, 01-62, 13-78, 04-109, 51-64, 76-44), Pankaj Advani
(India) bt A.Bulajaing (China) 5-3 (0-113, 20-72, 73-07, 34-64,
125-0, 74-07, 72-29, 112-13),Moh Keen Hoo (Malaysia) bt Fund Kowk
Wai (Hong Kong) 5-2(79-09, 10-56, 32-92, 85-35, 51-09, 62-21).—APP
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