The Indian ‘B’ team spearheaded by National champion Kamal Chawla, Brijesh Damani and Sparsh Pherwani produced some inspiring performances and won the Gold medal in the ACBS Team Snooker Championship 2023, in Tehran, Iran, recently.
Indian ‘B’ players Sparsh Pherwani, Kamal Chawla, coach Ashok Shandilya and Brijesh Damani are seen in a jubilant mood after winning the Gold medal in the ACBS Team Snooker Championship 2023, in Tehran, Iran
In the summit clash, the Indians lost the first two frames, but staged a remarkable fight back by winning the next three frames to defeat Hong Kong China 3-2 and emerge champions, according to information received here. The team was coached by former World billiards champion Ashok Shandilya.
India number one Chawla made a shaky start and lost to Cheung Ka Wai by a 33-82 frame score. Later, Damani failed to score a single point against Chang Yu Kiu who started with a bang by neatly constructing an exact century break of 100 points to record 100-0 win in the second frame and give Hong Kong a 2-0 lead.
But, in the doubles third frame, Chawla and Damani combined perfectly to pull off a tense win against the Hong Kong pair of Chang Yu Kiu and Tam Yun Fung by 66-29 points to cut the deficit. The doubles win infused confidence in the Indian camp and proved to be the turning point.
Chawla showed great touch and sublime skills to compile an excellent 115 break in winning the fourth frame against Chang Yu Kiu 115-0 to level the frame scores at 2-all and force the decider. In the fifth frame, Damani stayed focused and potted steadily to snatch a tight win against Cheung Ka Wai by a 66-45 point margin and clinch India’s triumph.
In the semi-finals, India ‘B’ got the better of Afghanistan 3-2 while Hong Kong China defeated Malaysia 3-1.
The Indian ‘A’ team comprising Pankaj Advani, Aditya Mehta and Laxman Rawat crashed out in the quarter-finals, losing 2-3 to Afghanistan.
Earlier, India’s Rayaan Razmi had won a bronze medal in the Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship 2023.
Results – Final: India ‘B’ beat Hong Kong China 3-2 (Kamal Chawla lost to Cheung Ka Wai 33-82, Brijesh Damani lost to Chang Yu Kiu 0-100(100), Chawla and Damani bt Chang Yu Kiu and Tam Yun Fung 66-29, Chawla bt Chang Yu Kiu 115-0, Damani bt Cheung Ka Wai 66-45).
Semi-finals: India ‘B’ bt Afghanistan 3-2, Hong Kong China bt Malaysia 3-1.
Quarter-finals: Afghanistan bt India ‘A’ 3-1, India ‘B’ bt Pakistan 3-2, Malaysia bt Iran ‘A’ 3-2, Hong Kong China bt Iran ‘B’ 3-2.