Current double World champion Pankaj Advani continued to rule at the Cricket Club of India. The dapper Advani was in outstanding form as he constructed two humungous breaks of 801 and 460 to smother the challenge from Englishman David Causier by charging to a 1836-743 victory in a lop-sided four-hour final of the All India CCI Billiards Classic 2024, played at the CCI’s Wilson Jones billiards hall on Sunday. At the end of the first two-hour session Advani enjoyed a slender lead of 593-570 and was on a break of 204, which he converted to a 460.
This was Advani’s fourth successive triumph at this venue. He claimed the CCI Snooker Classic over the last two years and now retained the billiards title.
The Bengaluru-based Advani, the country’s most decorated green baize player, and proud owner of 27 World titles, was in domineering mood and quashed the aspirations of the former 10-time World champion from England.
Advani, in workmanlike fashion went about his task of building those massive breaks which knocked the fight out of his rival. The Indian in large measure showcased his artistry as he executed his shots with silken touch and a high-degree of precision and consistency. He showed superb touch and with exquisite control over the balls and breaks flowed from his cue.
Causier started with a flourish and on his second visit constructed a break of 248 and followed it with breaks of 146 and 103 to stay in the lead, before the Indian genius came into his own and hammered this stupendous breaks to wrest the initiative before sailing away to victory.
The champion Advani was presented with the handsome winners’ trophy and a cash prize of Rs 250,000, while the runner-up Causier was awarded a cheque of Rs 125,000 and the runner-up trophy. Prize money was presented to the losing semi-finalists, quarter-finalists, pre-quarter-finalists, and players not advancing to the knockout phase. Additionally, a prize of Rs 25,000 was presented to Advani for the highest break of 801 in the final.
Earlier, Causier staved off a spirited fight back from India’s Dhvaj Haria by clinching a narrow 1108-969 victory in an engrossing semi-final encounter. The Englishman rolled in two double century breaks of 279 and 206 and multiple efforts of 59, 74, 78, 91, 61 and 54. The lanky left-handed Haria who trailed throughout produced a late charge constructing breaks of 123, 287 and 364 and one small break of 86.
In the second semi-final, Advani was in tremendous form and outclassed Singapore’s Peter Gilchrist by recording a resounding 1040-595 point victory to take his appointed place in the final. The Indian genius struck a high 436 and an unfinished 208 break to run away with the match. His other efforts were 121 and 88. Gilchrist, hoping to put up a fight, managed to hit breaks of 165, 182, 89 and 59.
Results – Final: Pankaj Advani (Ind) beat David Causier (Eng) 1836-743.
Semi-final: David Causier (Eng) beat Dhvaj Haria (Ind) 1108-969; Pankaj Advani (Ind) beat Peter Gilchrist (Sin) 1040-595.