ISLAMABAD - Haris Tahir, Ahsan Yousaf, Sheheryar Abbas, Ali Haider, Raees Ali Usama, M Mudassir Sheikh and M Saleem qualified for the quarterfinals of the 11th Jubilee Insurance U-21 National Junior Snooker Championship 2019, after registering contrasting victories in the pre-quarterfinals played here at PSB Snooker Hall, Pakistan Sports Complex on Sunday.
All the four quarterfinals and semifinals will be played today (Monday), while the final will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11am on best of 11 frames. Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fahmida Mirza will be the chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony of all the three national junior U-16, U-18 and U-21 championships to be held at 4pm at PSB Snooker Hall, Pakistan Sports Complex.
Raees Ali Usama made the biggest upset of the championship, when he shocked former world U-18 champion and defending champion M Naseem Akhtar 4-1, winning the encounter 61-35, 31-92, 65-41, 71-21 and 55-47. Raees displayed excellent game and managed to break difficult snookers skillfully. Mudassir Sheikh, who became new national U-18 champion last week, also qualified for the quarterfinals after beating last year’s national U-18 champion Umer Khan 4-2.
Ali Haider beat Abid Sajjad 4-1, 69-26, 58-22, 25-47, 77-26, 69-21, Shehryar Abbas beat Shehryar Khan 4-2, 68-42, 41-69, 53-47, 57-04, 13-62, 71-52, Muhammad Saleem beat Saad Khan 4-1, 48-52, 51-39, 64-13, 69-20, 70-49, Ahsan Yousuf beat Muhammad Hamza 4-2, 70-13(54), 67-17, 25-57, 63-47, 38-55, 47-13 and Haris Tahir beat Umer Farooq 4-0, 71-0(66), 76-48, 54-18, 57-31.