The Break Builders produced some master-class performances to emerge champions of the Rs 20 lakh prize-money inaugural LIC-Snooker Premier League – 2016, organized by BSAM (Billiards & Snooker Association of Maharashtra). In the summit clash, The Break Builders were on a roll and hardly brooked much opposition from Royal Strikers to register a convincing 3-0 win in the best-of-5-game contest, at the Garware Club House on Saturday evening.
The Break Builders players receive the ‘Champions’ trophy and cash award of Rs 8 lakh from Chief Guest, Shri Aditya Thackeray (centre), Chairman, Yuva Sena, after the final of the inaugural LIC-Snooker Premier League
The victorious Break Builders team received the crystal ‘Champions’ trophy and a handsome cash award of Rs 8 lakh from Chief Guest, Shri Aditya Thackeray, Chairman, Yuva Sena. Royal Strikers were presented with the runners-up trophy and a cash prize of Rs 6 lakh. Unicca Challeger who finished third received a cash prize of Rs 3.5 lakh and fourth placed Satrangi Squad took home a sum of Rs 2.5 lakh.
Thackeray thanked the BSAM for inviting him to witness the final and stated that he was ready to help the association. “I am here to help you in whatever way I can and in whatever way I could be of any help to the association. It’s not important for me to be part of this association in any capacity, but my duty towards sports is to create the infrastructure and I am keen to start centres for training kids in billiards and snooker. So let’s start with Thane and Mumbai and like I had promised before we can meet and take the matter further,” said Thackeray.
The Break Builder got off to a dream start with Manan Chandra and Shahbaz A. Khan winning the opening two games to help the team establish a healthy 2-0 lead. Former National champion Manan was in complete control as he easily sidelined Sourav in two quick frames (66-23, 66-21) in the 15-red first game, later Shahbaz also came up with a domineering performance and compiled a break of 69 and went on to blank veteran cueist Alok Kumar also by a 2-0 (39-20, 69-0) margin in the 6-red second game. Maintaining their fine winning momentum, Break Builders double combination of Rishabh Thakkar, the co-owner of the team and young Sparsh Pherwani defeated Sunil Jain and Hasan Badami 76-34 to quickly wrap up the match.
Earlier in semi-final encounters, Royal Strikers blanked Satrangi Squad 3-0 and The Breaker Builder were taken the distance before they prevailed over Unicca Challengers by a 3-2 margin in the best-of-5-games match.
Kolkata’s Sourav Kothari provided Royal Striker with the perfect start winning the 15-red first game. Kothari showed good touch as he compiled a superb break of 101 in the second frame as he tamed Brijesh Damani 2-0. In the second game, Sunil Jain and Arantxa Sanchis combined effectively to put it across Yogesh Sharma and Amol Abdagiri 71-46 in the single frame doubles game to give a 2-0 lead. Hasan Badami sealed Royal Strikes win as he came from behind to prevail over J. Varun Kumar 2-1 in the 6-red third game.
On the side table, The Break Builder recovered after losing the opening two games to clinch victory. An uncharacteristic Siddharth Parikh lost 0-2 to R. Girish in the 6-red first game and then Manan Chandra suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Faisal Khan in the 15-red second game as Builder stared defeat. But, Break Builders doubles pair of Shabaz Khan and Gaurav Jaisinghani brought them back into the fight as they scored over Nalin Patel and Amee Kamani 55-49 in the single frame doubles game. Having finally found success, Break Builders’ co-owner Rishabh Thakkar came to the table and overcame Rovin D’Souza 2-0 in the 6-red fourth game to level the scores at 2-all. In the deciding fifth game (1 frame tie-breaker) Manan Chandra riding on a small but useful break of 44 defeated Faisal Khan 83-11 to settle the issue in favour of his team.
Results (semi-finals):The Break Builders beat Unnica Challengers 3-2 : Siddharth Parikh lost to R. Girish 0-2 (7-38, 15-42 – 6red); Manan Chandra lost to Faisal Khan 1-2 (29-72, 65-29, 72(59)-22 – 15red); Shabaz Khan/Gaurav Jaisinghani bt Nalin Patel/Amee Kamani 55-49 (doubles, 1 frame); Rishabh Thakkar bt Rovin D’Souza 2-0 (41-7, 46-21 – 6red); Manan Chandra bt Faisal Khan (83(44)-11 – 15red).
Royal Strikers beat Satrangi Squad 3-0 : Sourav Kothari bt Brijesh Damani 2-0 (67-40, 101(101)-1 – 15red); Sunil Jain/Arantxa Sanchis bt Yogesh Sharma/Amol Abdagiri 71-46 (doubles -1 frame); Hasan Badami bt J. Varun Kumar 2-1 (0-58(58), 44-25, 42-7 – 6red)
Final: The Break Builders beat Royal Strikers 3-0 : Manan Chandra bt Sourav Kothari 2-0 (66-23, 66-21 – 15red), Shahbaz Khan bt Alok Kumar 2-0 (29-20, 69(69)-0 – 6red), Rishabh Thakkar/Sparsh Pherwani bt Sunil Jain/Hasan Badami 76-34 (doubles).