Pakistani Cueists Advance to Knockout Stage at IBSF World U17 Snooker Championship

MANAMA: Promising Pakistani snooker players Hasnain Akhtar and Ahsan Ramzan have successfully progressed to the knockout stage of the IBSF World U17 Snooker Championship, taking place in Bahrain.

Hasnain Akhtar’s Dominance

Hasnain Akhtar continued his impressive form, securing a decisive 3-0 victory against Romania’s David Nistor in their final group-stage match. This win maintains his unblemished record in the U21 campaign, where he has yet to concede a frame.

Match Highlights
  • The initial frame was closely contested, with Hasnain narrowly defeating Nistor by four points.
  • Building on this momentum, the 16-year-old dominated the subsequent frames, securing a comprehensive victory with scores of 48-44, 79-29, and 71-2.

This triumph ensures Hasnain concludes the group stage with a perfect record, winning all three matches without dropping a frame, thereby qualifying for the U21 competition’s knockout stage.

Ahsan Ramzan’s Qualification

Despite a 3-1 defeat in his final group match against Hong Kong’s Langyi Ryan Li, Ahsan Ramzan also secured his place in the knockout stage.

Match Summary
  • Ryan Li gained an early advantage, winning the first two frames convincingly.
  • Ahsan Ramzan responded by winning the third frame, but Ryan Li secured the victory in the following frame with scores of 72-64, 53-18, 1-74, and 65-36.

Prior to this match, the former IBSF World Champion had a strong start to the tournament, achieving 3-0 victories against Bahrain’s Mahmood Ahmed and India’s Bhavya Pipaliya.