Mohammad Sajjad and Shahid Aftab play without coach: ENOC Snooker team International Championship
Two Pakistani potters, Mohammad Sajjad and Shahid Aftab, are set represent their country at the upcoming ENOC Snooker team International Championship in Dubai. The pair is participating in the tournament without a snooker coach as the event commences from Friday, June 24-28, 2011.
Other teams that will participate in the event include India, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Syria, Qatar, China, Bahrain and the host country, UAE.
The ENOC Snooker team International Championship carries the winner prize of $5,000, along with $2,500 for the runner-up. The losing cueist in semi-finals will be awarded $1,500 each, while the prize of the highest break is US $500.
Both Pakistani cueists are now practising at the Pakistan Snooker and Billiards Hall without a trainer or coach, as the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) have not arranged any snooker coach for their players.
While speaking to the local media about the unavailability of a coach, PBSA spokesman said, “We do not have any financial assistance to hire any international or local coach who can give a bit more tips to these players. We wrote a letter to the Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) last month to give us some grant so that we can hire a coach for the team.”
He added, “We are still waiting for the PSB’s reply but there is not much time left as our cueists will be departing for Dubai on June 23 for participation in the event. I’m confident that our players can manage without a coach and will bring laurels to the country when they return back.”
The absence of a coach in the team will definitely affect the duo’s performance in the match. The pair can perform well in the tournament, if they are given a proper coach to guide them.
After the ENOC Snooker team International Championship, the same cueists, Sajjad and Aftab, will head to the World Trade Centre in Bangkok to participate in the 2011 Snooker World Cup from July 11-17. The 2011 Snooker World Cup is being staged in Thailand after 15 years, since 1996.
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