Mohammad Shahid dumps Imran Shehzad in final of 36th NJI Snooker Championship
The unseeded Mohammad Shahid, from Faisalabad, Pakistan outplayed the top seeded Imran Shehzad of Punjab in a best-of-fifteen frame final of the 36th National Snooker Championship 2011.
M. Shahid who was playing his first ever ranking event won with a frame score of 8-2 against one of the most experienced and top favourite of the tournament Imran Shehzad.
Imran took the first frame using his safety tactics as he gave a difficult snooker to Shahid who gave him a 9 foul shot trying to break it. Imran getting a lead of 39 points took the first frame 1-0.
Shahid who was the underdog instead of going in pressure showed his magnificent abilities of break-building and compiled a classy break of 97 in the second frame also beating the highest of the tournament which was 95 by Imran Shehzad. Moreover, he
also won the following four frames in a row as well with dominant breaks of 61, 86, and 61.
Everybody was flabbergasted as the local boy M. Shahid turned the tables on Imran Shehzad and went ahead with a lead of 4 frames making the scores 5-1.
In the 7th frame Imran also showed his strength and potted 6 consecutive blacks before missing a red in the centre pocket. Shahid tried pocketing the frame but he also missed a red at the same centre pocket after making a break
of 40 but he was lucky as he left Imran with a snooker which he did not mean. However, Imran got through with it and after a couple of safety shots made another break of 21 to win a much needed frame for himself making the scores 5-2.
Imran Shehzad was guilty of making more unforced errors compared to his opponent. Imran tried to dominate the 8th frame with a break of 40 but the confident Shahid made 46 and after both players tried giving each other snookers it also
went in favour of M. Shahid.
Shahid again went ahead leading Imran by four frames with a score of 6-2 now and in the 9th frame he made another carving break of 65 to win. Similarly, he also won the 10th frame as Imran Shehzad was
seen unable to perform against him.
The overall score line was 90-44, 4-97, 7-72, 82-1, 86-0, 80-32, 78-40, 42-81, 66-24, and 67-44.
The qualifier M. Shahid has won the 36th NJI National Snooker Championship and the cash prize of 150,000 Rupees along with the trophy. He has also been qualified for the upcoming Iran event and will now represent Pakistan along
with Imran Shehzad and M. Sajjad.
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