Asjad Iqbal, Mohammad Naseem, Sohail Shehzad, and Awais Munair reach in semifinals
Sports Bulletin Report
KARACHI: Asjad Iqbal (NBP), Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (Punjab), Sohail Shehzad (Sindh), and Awais Ullah Munair (Punjab) moved into the semifinals of the ongoing 48th NBP National Snooker Championship after winning their respective quarterfinals here at the Snooker Arena of NBP Sports Complex on Sunday.
I n the first quarter final, Asjad Iqbal of National Bank defeated Punjab’s Shahid Aftab 5-4 after a tough competition. The frame score of his victory was 58-26, 0-81, 28-70, 39-68, 71-42, 68-30, 58- 71, 77-42 and 68-37. In the second quarter-final, Naseem Akhtar of Punjab beat the former world champion Ahsan Ramzan of Punjab by 5-3. The frame score of his victory was 1-72, 8- 71, 74-01, 68-58, 58-07, 57-39, 50-74 and 87-24. In the penultimate quarterfinal, Sindh's Sohail Shehzad outplayed number two seed Islamabad's Shan Namat by 5-3 and reached in semi-final. Sohail Shehzad's winning frame score was 69-14, 77-30, 13-65, 82-04, 71-02, 32-99, 48-52 and 64-17.
Shan Namat played a break of 99 in the sixth frame.In the fourth and last quarter-final, Owaisullah Munir of Punjab made a brilliant comeback despite losing the first four frames beat Abdul Javed of Islamabad by 5-4 and paved the way for the semi-final. Owaisullah Munir’s winning frame scores was 30-68, 0-96, 1-89, 12-70, 78-07, 98-01, 66-40, 67-0 and 76-53.
National Bank's Asjad Iqbal will face Punjab's Naseem Akhtar in the first semifinal and Sindh's Sohail Shahzad will face Punjab's Owaisullah Munir in the second semi-final.
Results (Quarterfinals):
Asjad Iqbal (NBP) beat Shahid Aftab (PB) 5-4 (58-26, 0-81 (81), 28-70, 39-68, 71-42, 68-30 (66), 58-71, 77-42 (69), 68-37)
Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (PB) beat Ahsan Ramzan (PB) 5-3 (1-72, 8-71,74-01, 68-58, 58-07, 57-39, 50-74 (73), 87-24)
Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) beat Shan Namat (Isb) 5-3 (69-14 (64), 77-30 (54), 13-65, 82-04 (55), 71-02, 32-99 (99), 48-52, 64-17)
Awais Ullah Munair (PB) beat Abdul Javed (Isb) 5-4 (30-68 (63), 0-96 (90), 1-89 (89), 12-70, 78-07, 98-01 (62), 66-40, 67-0 (66), 76-53).
Schedule (Semifinals):
Asjad Iqbal (NBP) v Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (PB)
Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) v Awais Ullah Munair (PB),