Pakistani Cueists Dominate Opening Day of IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship

Pakistani players Mohammad Asif and Shahid Aftab made a remarkable start to their IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship campaign, securing their spots in the knockout stage with impressive victories on the first day of the competition in Bahrain.

The championship showcases the talents of 43 players hailing from 15 nations. Both Asif and Shahid showcased their skills by remaining undefeated on the opening day, triumphing in both of their respective group matches.

Mohammad Asif’s Flawless Performance

IBSF world champion Mohammad Asif, competing in Group C, demonstrated exceptional form by winning both matches without conceding a single frame.

He initiated his campaign with a convincing 3-0 triumph over Oman’s Haitham Bin Ali, achieving frame scores of 89-33, 69-4, and 53-6. Asif recorded a break of 61 in the initial frame and a 46 in the subsequent frame, highlighting his command over the table throughout the encounter.

Asif sustained his dominance with another emphatic 3-0 victory against Ireland’s Jay Chopra, securing the frames with scores of 68-33, 79-14, and 67-16. Although he didn’t achieve significant breaks in this match, Asif upheld consistent scoring and tactical precision to clinch a comprehensive win.

Shahid Aftab’s Resilient Comebacks

Meanwhile, Shahid Aftab faced tough challenges in both of his Group B matches, ultimately prevailing in the deciding fifth frame each time.

In his opening match, Shahid narrowly defeated Egypt’s Mohamed Noweir with a score of 3-2. The match was characterized by shifting momentum, with frame scores of 68-43, 47-64, 88-35, 31-60, and 94-36. Shahid executed a brilliant break of 88 in the third frame to regain the advantage and then secured the match with composed potting in the final frame.

Against Kuwait’s Abdullah Alyousef, Shahid staged a remarkable comeback from a 0-2 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory. The frame scores were 25-70, 31-53, 79-06, 58-13, and 103-25. The Pakistani cueist delivered two impressive breaks, a 48 in the third frame and a decisive 73 in the fifth, effectively turning the match around and securing a crucial win.

Both Pakistani competitors are set to clash with Indian adversaries in their concluding group matches on Monday, aiming to conclude the group stage positively.