India’s ace cueist and Aditya qualify for World Championships
Indian number 2. Pankaj Advani (PSPB) stamped his supremacy with an impressive all-win record and finished on a high clinching the top billiards hall.
The 36-year-old Pankaj, who early last month won the Asian snooker crown, maintained his excellent form and succeeded in winning all 12 matches (6 each in the Y-Camp and Z-Camp). The National runner-up Pankaj accumulated 10760 points (3560 National points, 3600 points each from Y and Z Camps) to take pole position. National champion Aditya Mehta (PSPB), who finished with 4 wins and 2 defeats, was placed second with 10156 points (4000 Nationals, 2916 Y-Camp and 3240 Z-Camp) while in third place was Laxman Rawat (PSPB) 9396 points (3240, 3240 and 2916).
Pankaj Advani
Both Pankaj and Aditya have qualified to represent India in the upcoming World Snooker Championships which is likely to be held in Doha, Qatar in November or December.
The genial genius Pankaj demonstrated his hunger for success as he reasserted his dominance over Indian number 1. Aditya by recording a 4-1 win against the lanky Mumbai-based cueist in the concluding round Z-Camp match. The Bengaluru-based Pankaj, who had also won the previous outing 4-1, played steadily and mixed caution with aggression. He grabbed every opportunity to put together small useful efforts and managed to dictate terms before going on to wrap up the match with the frame scores reading 80(63)-08, 32-70, 70-00, 86-15 and 68-49 in his favour.
Pankaj had earlier quashed the challenge from India No. 3 Laxman Rawat (PSPB) by pulling through in six frames in an interesting contest. He started with a bang rolling in a neat 139 points break in the first frame and completed a deserving 139-00, 22-61, 84-46, 93-07, 28-74 and 60-31 victory.
Earlier, Aditya scrapped past Laxman by a tight 4-3 margin to snatch a crucial fifth win. In an absorbing contest in which the lead repeatedly changed hands Aditya produced a face-saving 61 run in the decider to snatch a tense 55-58, 60-16, 80-00, 108(76)-07, 00-104(96), 40-65(55) and (77(61)-14) verdict.
Pushpender Singh (RSPB) – 7883 points and Dhvaj Haria (PSPB) – 7338 points were placed 4th and 5th respectively followed by Neeraj Kumar (RSPB) – 6308 points and Himanshu Jain (TEL) – 6266 points.
Results – Men’s Z-Camp (2nd leg):
Pankaj Advani (PSPB) beat Aditya Mehta (PSPB) 4-1 (80(63)-08, 32-70, 70-00, 86-15, 68-49);
Aditya Mehta (PSPB) beat Laxman Rawat (PSPB) 4-3 (55-58, 60-16, 80-00, 108(76)-07, 00-104(96), 40-65(55), (77(61)-14);
Pushpender Singh (RSPB) beat Neeraj Kumar (RSPB) 4-1 (66-15, 88(56)-43, 71-14, 50-70, 66-30);
Pankaj Advani (PSPB) beat Laxman Rawat (PSPB) 4-2 (139(139)-00, 22-61, 84-46, 93-07, 28-74, 60-31).