Star Pakistani cueist Asif on the cusp of glory

Former two-time world champion Mohammad Asif is nearing another milestone as he has qualified for the final of the IBSF Men’s World Snooker Championship 2024 in Doha after he conquered Michael Georgiou of Cyprus 5-3 in the semi-final on Tuesday.

It was a terrific show as Asif struggled initially and at one stage was 0-2 down as Michael exhibited fine potential to unsettle the 2012 and 2019 champion.

However, after losing the first two frames 53-57 and 5-71, Asif regained his composure and brought into practice the best he had and went on to take 4-2 lead by lifting the next four frames 94-0, 111-6, 77-45 and 73-9.

Michael, at this stage, did good work to win the seventh frame 71-24 to reduce the lead but it was not enough as Asif clinched the eighth frame 58-51 to seal an impressive win and a spot in the final.

Asif also fired two huge breaks including 94 and a century break of 111 which demonstrated his ability as a fine cueist. The frames score was 53-57, 05-71(53), 94(94)-0, 111(111)-06, 77-45, 73(66)-09, 24-71, 58-51.

Asif will now face Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou in the final which will begin at 12pm today.

Asif joined an elite group of cueists, becoming the third worldwide to contest three finals.

India’s Pankaj Advani has played four finals and of them he won three while Iran’s Amir Sarkosh has played three finals and lost all of them.

Earlier, in the quarter-final Asif conquered Mohamed Shehab of UAE 4-1. Asif’s comeback victory was also embellished with two successive century breaks. He fired a break of 109 in the third frame and 112 in the fourth frame.

The frame score was 7-111(100), 54-5, 109(109)-0, 119(112)-1, 60-48.

Asif also downed Ahmed Saif of Qatar 4-3 in the pre-quarter-finals. It was a crunch show with either cueist not allowing the other to dominate.

After winning two successive frames 112-0, 100-24, Asif lost focus which gave his opponent a chance to penetrate as he romped to a 97(64)-4 and 77-(77)-44 win to level the score.

Asif then won the fifth frame 68-22 to take 3-2 lead. At this stage Ahmed Saif struck again as he lifted the sixth frame 68-1 to once again bring parity. However, Asif, bringing his huge experience into use, secured outstanding 54-0 win in the next frame to seal a hard-earned victory.

The frames score was 112(53)-0, 100(69)-24, 4-97(64), 44-77(77), 68-22, 01-68, 54-0 in Asif’s favor.

In the last 24 round, Asif had downed Ali Alobaidli of Qatar 4-1 to make it to the pre-quarter-finals. The frames score was 74-15, 102(102)-25, 15-67, 66-08, 72-24.

Asif returned to the event after a gap of two years when he took a fine start in the World Qualifier stage-1 by beating his teammate Asjad Iqbal 4-2 with the frames score of 78-32, 08-84(76), 88(53)-08, 86(52)-63), 04-78(69), 80(64)-25. This also helped the experienced campaigner to make it to the World Championship.

In the main event too Asif made a fine start when he defeated Kamal Chawla of India 4-1 with the frames score of 135(100)-00, 114(66)-19, 01-56, 77(52)-41), 72(63)-16.

Asif is the most successful cueist in Pakistan’s snooker history having won the world title twice.

He had won the world titles in 2012 and 2019 and had become the second Pakistani to achieve the milestone after Mohammad Yousuf who had lifted the coveted crown in 1994, the golden era where Pakistan was world champion in cricket, hockey, squash and snooker at the same time.