Pakistan win IBSF World Team Snooker Championship

KARACHI: Adding another title to the list, Pakistan snooker team won the IBSF World Team Snooker Championship, beating another team from Pakistan in Hurghada, Egypt on Thursday.

Pakistan fielded two teams in the event, and both played outstandingly throughout the tournament to qualify for the final, where Pakistan 2 comprising Babar Masih and Mohammad Asif defeated Pakistan 1 of Asjad Iqbal and Moahmmad Sajjad.

Both the pairs from Pakistan displayed brilliant control with the cue and played perfect snooker. Pakistan 2 won the first two frames convincingly 76-08 and 74-34.

But Asjad and Sajjad came back in third frame to reduce the deficit with winning the frame 26-70, playing a break of 60. Babar and Asif quickly extended the lead by winning fourth frame 78-52.

A deficit of 3-1 couldn’t demoralise Pakistan 1 as they continued to fight back which have them win fifth and sixth frames with scores of 52-31 and 53-02, respectively to make it 3-all.

Pakistan 2 took the lead once again by winning the 7th frame 46-44, but the game was levelled once again with Pakistan 1 winning the 8th frame 68-13.

The final of best of nine frames saw supremacy of Babar Masih and Mohammad Asif as they won it 70-29 to complete the win with overall score of 76-08(50), 74-34, 26-70(60), 78-52, 31-52, 02-53, 46-44, 13-68, 70-29.

This is Pakistan’s second world team title.

In 2013, a team comprising Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Sajjad had won the title for country.

Not only that, this is third major title for Pakistan snooker in less than four months after winning Asian 6 Reds and World U18 Snooker Championship.