The AS of Pakistan, the Cueist Mohammad Asif, struck again on Friday, guaranteeing another victory defining the career by sending a packaging of British Damani from India in a 4-3 cliffhanger to the world championship of the masters of the IBSF in Bahrain.
Asif qualified for the final with an impressive 4-2 victory against Manan Chandra of India in the semi-finals on Thursday at Crowne Plaza Bahrain.
The match began as a calm and measured exchange, but quickly turned into a tight battle between the two cases of seasoned cases.
Asif broke back, nailing the first two frames with clinical precision, but Damani had other plans. The young Indian piping surprised Asif by winning the following three, upright the pressure on the Pakistani champion.
With the score at 2-3, AIF has regained its rhythm. He leveled things to three, then increased the warmth of the decision maker, closing the match with a dominant frame to seal the title.
The final scores were: 98-37, 75-55, 00-80, 49-52, 41-64, 91-29, 78-9-a testimony to what extent the match was tense and unpredictable.
This victory marks the sixth world title of the Atif. Over the years, he picked up three crowns from the individual world and two team championships – and with this last trophy, he cemented his place among the elite of sport.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Hasnain Akhtar won the title at the Snooker World U17 IBSF championship with a dominant display in the final, defeating Riley Powell from Wales in a unilateral meeting on Friday.
Hasnain has outlined his Welsh opponent with a right-wing victory, guaranteeing the final 4-0. The 16-year-old Pakistani cueist produced scores of 86-7, 73-35, 50-31 and 98-4, presenting his class and his composure on the world scene.
The match, officiated by Nadhem Ahmed of Bahrain, saw Hasnain deliver two notable breaks of 44 and 67 in the first and fourth executives, respectively, highlighting his control throughout the match.
Powell had a hard time having an impact, because Hasnain never allowed him to return to his signature groove.
With this victory, Hasnain became the first Pakistani player to win the IBSF U17 world snooker championship. He added this title to his growing list of distinctions, also winning the U21 Asian championship earlier this year.
