Pakistan wins IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship against India

MANAMA: In a showdown between South Asian arch-rivals at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain, Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif captured the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship, edging out India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 in a nail-biting final.

The match kicked off with Damani seizing control, winning the first three frames and putting Asif in a tough spot. However, the experienced cueist responded by winning the sixth frame. This allowed him to tie the match.

Read more: Muhammad Hasnain wins World U-17 Snooker Championship

The Pakistani snooker player then went on to dominate the final frame, finishing with the scores of 98-37, 75-55. 0-80, 49-52, 41-64, 91-29, and 78-9.

Asif advanced to the final after a 4-0 victory over Bahrain’s Habib Sabah in the quarter-finals and a 4-2 win against the UAE’s Mohamed Shebab in the pre-quarter finals.

He also won 3-0 against Wales’ tony Morgan in the Round of 16.

Earlier in the tournament, the Pakistani snooker player lost 309 to Damani in the group stage. He later rebounded with wins over Oman’s Haitham Bin Ali and Ireland’s Jay Chopra, both by 3-0 margins.

In a separate event, Muhammad Hasnain Akhtar won the World U-17 Snooker Championship. He defeated Wales’ Riley Powell 4-0 in the final.

Akhter made history as the first player to win the IBSF World Championship in the U17 category.

Read more: Muhammad Asif makes history with 147 break in snooker championship

The IBSP World Masters Snooker Championship featured 43 competitors from 15 nations.