Overview of the semi-final between M. Shahid and M. Sultan Riaz – 36th NJI Snooker Championship
The best-of-eleven frame semi-final held at the Banquet Hall, Gymkhana, Karachi on February 9, 2011 was won by the M. Shahid of Faisalabad.
Shahid is also a former Punjab Champion in 2010. He outplayed his opponent Sultan Muhammad Riaz of Sindh by a frame score of 6-3.
M. Shahid secured his victory against the second seed Sohail Shahzad. However, M Sultan Riaz on the other hand had beaten the former champion Naveen Perwani after a four-hour battle which went until the last frame in a best-of-nine frame quarter-final
match.
Both unseeded local players had to fight more than five hours for the results. Many unforced errors were seen from both the players as they were seen taking a lot of pressure. Almost all the frames played in between the players were stretched to their
maximum length.
The first frame finished up on the last two balls pink and black which was won by Shahid. Second frame also was won by Shahid on almost the same pattern and the third frame which proved even longer as the players had only a ten-point difference between
the score on the yellow ball after exchanging many shots it also was pocketed by Shahid.
In the 4th frame, there was a comparatively mature play presented by the players as Shahid initially made a break of 33 but unfortunately had to stop as the pink ball went into the centre when he was trying to cannon the red balls. Sultan
on the other hand tried to dominate the frame by a break of 52 this time but even then was not able to win the frame somehow.
M Shahid won the initial four frames. Leading his opponent by a lead of 4-0, he was looking quite in control and also very close for a comfortable win.
Sultan Muhammad Riaz who was trailing his opponent by four frames and was under huge pressure bounced back composed as he won three frames in a row. These three frames win shifted the pressure back on his opponent M. Shahid as the frame score read
4-3. At this point viewers and audience thought that maybe Sultan is going to equal the score or might even lead Shahid.
However, in the next two frames Shahid also wrestled and showed his strength. Sultan made many mistakes in the 8th and 9th frames giving away a lot of chances to his opponent. All the given chances were capitalised by Shahid
as he was in no mood to prolong the fight anymore and won both the frames making his place into the final of 36th National Snooker Championship for the first time in his career.
The score-line was 52-43, 64-4, 86-63, 67-58, 4-108, 40-64, and 39-67, 70-37, and 58-46.
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