Asian Snooker: Aditya sets up title clash with Advani

Doha (Qatar): Aditya Mehta will battle it out with Pankaj Advani in the final of Asian Snooker Championships here on Saturday evening.

Aditya Mehta started the semi final session confidently and obtained a 2-0 lead over Hossein. Third frame went much tighter but at the stage where it was suppose to go in favour of Aditya, last black ball wobbled in the jaws and Hossein got his first frame.

Soon Hossein took the next two to put Aditya one frame down. Those were the only frames Hossein grabbed as Aditya broke with 75 to level the match 3-all. Already shifted the gear, Aditya thereafter kept wrapping frame after frame and sealed the match 6-3 leaving no option for Hossein.

Where Aditya had already made his presence into final, Pankaj, on next table, was on the job for confirming title for India and he did the same despite having some challenges in between.

Pankaj started with 1-1 against Noppon Saengkham from Thailand and went down 1-2 where Noppon was playing exceptionally well. Noppon controlled the fourth frame too and had a good start to gain the lead but he missed on 47 and Pankaj without wasting time sealed the frame with a clearance of 49 points to level it at 2-all. Again Noppon troubled Pankaj by winning the next but Pankaj replied in the 6th frame with a 60+ break to come at par. Both the cueists took alternate frames to reach at a score of 5-4 in favour of Pankaj.


In 10th frame, Pankaj showed his class which he is best known for. Noppon took initial lead of 49 points and in the single chance that Pankaj got, he brilliantly chased Noppon’s score but on 43 points he landed for a tricky green to pot which he did and went misplaced for brown as his cue ball landed near the cushion behind brown. Leaving the option to play safe, he brilliantly potted the brown in top pocket and placed correctly for blue to seal the match and confirmed title for India.