Amir Sarkhosh
Doha: Top-seeded Amir Sarkhosh of Iran along with Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif, the second seed, Muhammad Sajjad (5th seed) and 27th placed Ahsan Ramzan yesterday sailed into the quarter-finals of the IBSF World Snooker Championships being hosted by the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF) at the federation’s hall.
India’s Pankaj Advani, however, made an exit being beaten 2-4 by Muhammad Asif in the last 16 tie.
The 43-time world champion Advani, who recovered from COVID-19 a month ago, has not been in top form of late and was seeded 18th. He lost the opening two frames before staging a comeback with a break of 94 but Asif with breaks of 50 and 57 proved two good in the end.
Asif will meet Bahrain’s Habib Sabah next. The 7th seeded Sabah excelled 4-1 against UAE’s Khalid Kamali to enter quarters.
Sarkhosh set up last eight clash against compatriot and 9th seed Siyavosh Mozayani. While Sarkhosh beat Egyptian Mostafa Dorgham 4-2 in the last 16, Mozayani defeated India’s Aditya Mehta 4-1.
Muhammad Sajjad will play Sri Lankan Mohamed Thaha Irshath in the quarter-final today. Sajjad edged Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka Wai 4-3 while Irshath blanked Khaled Alastal of Palestine 4-0.
Ahsan Ramzan will lock horns with Egypt’s Abdelrahman Shahin having outclassed American Renat Denkha 4-2. Shahin went past Thai Passakorn Suwannawat 4-3.
Qatar’s sixth-seeded Bashar Abdulmajeed and 15th-placed Ali Al Obaidli bowed out in the last 32 clash against Ahsan Ramzan and Advani respectively.
