ISLAMABAD: By defeating their respective rivals defending Champion & IBSF World U-18 Snooker Champion Muhammad Naseem Akhtar and Muhammad Shahbaz, qualified for the finals of Jubilee Insurance 10th National Junior U-21 Snooker Championship 2018 at PSB Billiards & Snooker Hall, Islamabad.
The winner of the Championship will get the honor to represent Pakistan in Asian U-21 Snooker Championship in March 2018 in Myanmar & the IBSF World U-21 Snooker Championship to be held in July, 2018 in China.
Highlight of the day was superb performance by the IBSF World Junior U18 Snooker Champion Muhammad Naseem Akhtar, who is also the defending champion of the championship as he made highest break of 111 in the quarter final against Ali Zaman Khan. Besides three half century breaks of 93, 72 and 52 in the semi final against Haris Tahir.
Defending Champion Muhammad Naseem Akhtar faced no difficulty in overcoming last year’s runners up Haris Tahir by 5-2 in the first semi final. The first semi final score was: 72-17 (72), 93-02 (93), 05-80, 62-14, 66-39 (52), 42-66 and 57-45.
The second semi final between Usman Ahmed and Muhammad Shahbaz, was a treat to watch as both players played outstandingly. Muhammad Shahbaz won the marathon semi final with the score of 5-4. The match lasted for four hours.
Earlier during the quarter finals played on Thursday morning, Usman Ahmed (Pjb) outplayed Mudassir Sheikh (Pjb) 4-1; Muhammad Shahbaz (Pjb) defeated Raees Ali Usama ( Pjb) 4-3; Muhammad Naseem Akhtar (Pjb) trounced Ali Zaman Khan (Sindh) 4-0 and Haris Tahir (Pjb) struggled hard to defeat a 14 years young chap from Lahore Muhammad Umer Khan 4-3. Muhammad Umer Khan who has become New National Junior U-18 Champion two weeks before at the same venue, exhibited beautiful snooker today in the quarter final against much experienced Haris Tahir before losing the match 3-4.
Usman Ahmed (Pjb) bt Shaikh M. Mudassir (Pjb) 4-1
(63-58, 67-21, 59-09(51), 57-73, 68-10(52),)Muhammad Shahbaz (Pjb) bt Raees Ali Usama (Pjb) 4-3
(49-51, 57-18, 08-102(70), 82-14(51), 64-02, 12-45, 62-52)
Muhammad Naseem Akhtar (Pjb) bt Ali Zaman Khan (Sindh) 4-0
(58-17, 51-25, 115-08(111), 65-13)Haris Tahir (Pjb) bt M. Umar Khan (Pjb) 4-3
(19-63, 33-70, 72-64, 77-49(61), 73-60, 33-61, 78-53)
Semi Finals Results
Muhammad Shahbaz (Pjb) bt Usman Ahmed (Pjb) 5-4
(60-23, 60-32, 60-16, 50-08, 22-55, 28-68, 12-58, 14-71, 51-16)
Muhammad Naseem Akhtar (Pjb) bt Haris Tahir (Pjb) 5-2
(72-17(72), 93-02(93), 05-80, 62-41, 66-39(52), 42-66, 57-45)
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