Pakistan's Asif wins SAARC Snooker title in Colombo

Three-time world champion Mohammad Asif on Friday continued to exert his supremacy in international circuit when he overcame Thaha Irshath of Sri Lanka in straight frames in the final to win the 3rd SAARC Snooker Championship in Colombo.

Asif cruised to a facile win as his opponent did not give any kind of resistance in the entire show. The frame score was 99(67)-03, 73-46, 85-38, 109(50)-6, 74(67)-0).

Earlier in the semi-final on Thursday, Asif defeated his fellow countryman Mohammad Naseem Akhtar 5-3.

The frame score was 21-60, 53-30, 76(72)-50, 37-91, 81(50)-49, 59-22, 0-131(102),72-15.

In the other hotly-contested semi-final, Thaha Irshath of Sri Lanka downed Ankit Man of Nepal 5-3 with the frame score being 86(58)-50(50), 56(50)-69(57), 0-88(68), 97(78)-23), 73-24, 27-65, 82(66)-9, 112(66)-02.

On the first day, Asif made a fine start by conquering Murugesu Prathap of Sri Lanka 4-0 with the frame score of 103(56)-03, 88-35, 64-34(53), 70-10. Asif, also on the said day, whipped Ahamed Nizamuddin of Bangladesh 4-1 with the frame score of 75(75)-09, 101(61)-00, 09-62, 116(56)-09, 86-18. He also defeated Ankit Man of Nepal 4-1 with the frames score of 84-9, 25-63, 77(54)-13, 84-30, 60-10.

In the event, 12 cueists from five nations including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka showcased their talent. They had been put in three pools.

This was the first time that Asif won this event. The previous two editions had been held in Bangladesh. Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal won the inaugural event in 2019 by defeating his countryman Mohammad Bilal while Ishpreet Singh Chadha of India won the second edition held in 2012 by overpowering his own countryman Brijesh Damani in the final.

Asif has been the most successful cueist in Pakistan’s snooker history. He won the World Championship in 2012, 2019 and 2024. And he is tied with India’s Pankaj Advani who has to his credit also three world titles which he won in 2003, 2015 and 2017.

Mohammad Yousuf had won the first world title for the nation in 1994, the golden year for Pakistan where the nation also was world champion in squash, cricket and hockey.