Snooker Worlds: Qatari cueists advance with impressive wins

Doha: Qatar’s cue stars Ali Al Obaidli, Bashar Abdulmajeed and Khamis Al Obaidli scored impressive wins to make the third round of on-going IBSF World Snooker Championships at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF) hall yesterday.

The eventful day, however, saw the 24-time world champion Pankaj Advani from India suffer defeat.

With top 62 players from 29 countries vying for top honours in the championship which runs till March 11th, Qatar cueists excelled on the green baize with Al Obaidli shocking India’s Laxman Rawat, who was seen to be among those gunning for the title. Al Obaidli won 4-3 claiming the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th frames (23-73, 64-50, 34-74, 71-45, 59-9, 31-77, 76-34).

Qatar’s Bashar Abdulmajeed registered an impressive break of 59 in the third frame on his way to beating Iraq’s Ali Hussein, another formidable opponent, 4-2 (51-36, 5-83, 60-23, 56-36, 51-63, 64-30).

Adding to the day’s winning delight for the hosts was Khamis Al Obaidli who edged out South Korea’s Jang Hosson 4-3 (69-22, 49-62, 27-57, 53-33, 14-51, 59-42, 46-38).

Ali Al Obaidli

In the biggest reversal of the day, Advani went down battling to Ireland’s Noel Landers in a close contest.

Landers made a floursihing start pocketing the first two frames at 71-5 and 84-0 before Advani made a comeback claiming the third frame 83-35.

The Indian then registered a high break of 64 to win the fourth frame 75-24. Landers regained his touch with a break of 51 in the fifth frame which he claimed 75-67.

Advani returned to challenge to with 60-10 win in the next before Landers ruled in the seventh and final frame polishing off 93-5. 

Also moving into the next round were Pakistan’s Muhammad Sajjad and Muhammad Asif with wins over Thailand’s Passakorn Suwannawat (4-2) and Germany’s Felix Frede (4-0) respectively.

Egypt’s Abdelrahman Shahin edged out Ismail Hossain Akash of Bangladesh 4-3 while Morroco’s Bellamine Yassine beat Bahrain’s Punait Saqer 4-2.

Austria’s Florain Nuble proved too good for UAE’s Abdulrahman Saif whom he blanked 4-0.

Bahrain’s Habib Sabah beat Austrian Oskar Charlesworth 4-1 while Qatar’s Badr Abdulla Sharshani lost 4-0 to Mohamed Thaha Irshath of Sri Lanka.

There are 14 groups of four players each and two groups with three players each in the qualifications rounds.