Shahid upsets Imran in National Snooker Championship final
The final of Pakistan’s National Snooker Championship saw a huge upset when the tournament’s top seed and the country’s number 2, Imran Shehzad, was defeated by unseeded Muhammad Shahid.
The Punjab player dominated the final completely, ending Shehzad’s quest for his first national title with an 8-2 win in the 36th NJI National Snooker Championship at the Karachi Gymkhana Billiards Hall.
Imran Shehzad, who reached the final after downing Pakistan's number one player, Mohammad Sajjad, in the semi-final was surprised by the strength of Faisalabad-based Shahid.
29-year-old Shahid had reached the final after beating Sindh’s unseeded challenger, Sultan Mohammad, in the semi-final.
Shahid had an uncertain start as Imran held the first set with a huge margin of 90-44. Shahid leapt into the game with a brilliant break of 97 in the next frame, levelling Sohail Shahzad’s record of the highest break of the tournament. The score was level for now but Imran, who had represented Pakistan in the 2010 IBSF World Snooker Championship in Syria, had no answer to Shahid’s brilliant game as the latter swept the next four frames in succession with 70-7, 82-1, 86-0 and 80-32 on the scorecard. Shahid took a 5-1 lead in the game.
Imran did not lose hope and battled back, reducing the deficit with a 78-40 score in the next frame. But Shahid did not look back and took control of the game firmly, winning the next three frames with impressive score of 81-42, 66-24, and 67-44, sealing his win in the four-hour-long encounter.
The unseeded Faisalabad cueist entered the tournament as a qualifier and ended Imran’s maiden title run in his first ranking event. With this win, Shahid has also secured the only vacancy in Pakistan’s team for the Asian Snooker Championship to be held in India in April 2011.
“I was under pressure but I’m happy that I held my nerves,” said the victor after the match. “The win against the number one cueist will definitely boost my confidence for future assignments.”
Shahid vowed to perform his best in the Asian Championship saying, “It’s a great honour for me. I will not let the country down.”
Imran was disappointed with his performance, saying, “I started off well but lost rhythm soon afterwards. I should commend Shahid, who showed great skill.”
Mohammad Shahid won the Rs 60,000 prize money, while Imran Shehzad received the runner-up’s Rs 35,000.
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