Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal delivered a stunning 4-0 victory over India’s Pankaj Advani to advance to the semi-finals of the IBSF Snooker World Cup at the Active Oman Sports and Entertainment Hub in Muscat on Tuesday.
Former national champion Asjad was in dominant form in the quarter-final clash, compiling two half-century breaks as he swept the celebrated Indian opponent.
The 34-year-old Asjad opened with an 81-break to take the first frame 100-0, won the second 92-37, compiled a 68 break in a 117-16 third-frame victory and sealed the match 83-21.
Asjad’s path to the last-four began in the last 32 with a 3-0 win over another Indian cueist Hussain Khan [53-44, 90-41, 93-9(84)].
Asjad — who won the bronze medal in the previous edition — then defeated Mina Awad of Egypt 4-1 in the pre-quarterfinals.
After losing the first frame 62-21, Asjad — hailing from Sargodha — levelled by making a clearance of 72 and then took the lead after winning the third frame 69-29 with a 52 break.
With the momentum on his side, Asjad won the fourth 58-29, and sealed the match with a total clearance 104 break for a 104-0 win in the fifth.
His compatriots, however, saw their campaigns end.
Teenage sensation Mohammad Hasnain was eliminated in the last 32, falling 3-1 [92-13(60), 131-0(131), 0-71, 61-29] to Awad earlier on Tuesday while Mohammad Asif beat Khalid Kamali of the UAE 3-2 [71-77, 17-70(54), 77-74, 61-45(51), 84-38] in a last-32 thriller.
Asif, however, then lost 4-2 to France’s Nicolas Mortreux in the last 16 clash.
Mortreux drew the first blood winning the first frame 74-49 but Asif immediately bounced back with a 57-46 win.
Both the cueists then traded big breaks as the French player won the third 72-28 with a 68-break before Asif levelled with a break of 83 to win 106-9.
Fifth frame proved to be pivotal as both players displayed their A game. It seemed that Asif — Pakistan’s most decorated cueist — might run away with the frame as he made a break of 60 but Mortreux held his nerves and made a sublime clearance of 73 to steal the frame 73-65.
Mortreux then wrapped the victory with another well-constructed 55-break to clinch the frame 85-43 and book the semi-final spot against Asjad.
