‘NSCI Baulkline 3.0’ All India Snooker Open 2024: Samay Wadhawan overcomes Mohammad Shafique Khatri

Playing familiar surroundings, Samay Wadhawan was cool, composed and steadily to overcome Md. Shafique Khatri posting a straight-frame 4-0 win in the best-of-7-frame qualifying draw first round match of the ‘NSCI Baulkline 3.0’ All India Snooker Open 2024, organized by National Sports Club of India (NSCI) and played at the billiards hall, Worli, late Saturday evening.

The NSCI cueist Samay, trailed Shafique 19-41 in the opening frame, but he managed to hold his nerves and smartly with tiny breaks came back before winning the frame on the pink. Thereafter, Samay was in total control and after pocketing the next two frames, he signed off in style by compiling neat run of 43, to also win the fourth and to wrap up the contest, clinching a deserving 60-52, 51-7, 75-45 and 62-8 victory.

Pune-based Shivam Arora started with a bang as he quickly brushed aside the challenge from Hormuz Pardiwala waltzing to a 4-0 victory. Arora showed great touch and with breaks of 74 in the second frame and a 49 break later gave Pardiwala no chance of putting up a fight and raced to a 67-20, 74-0, 77-8 and 91-19 victory with a degree of comfort.

Rahul Narang of Matoshree Club was also on a roll as he eased past Jai Shroff by charging to a 4-0 (80-32, 71-30, 69-51 and 62-53) frame scores win and a place in the second round.

Meanwhile, Akash Israni another NSCI cueist was not as fortunate as went down fighting to Suyog Mukadam in a long draw and engrossing affair 3-4. In a nervy seventh frame, Mukadam came out stronger to win the decider to complete 35-51, 49-63, 49-18, 84-37, 45-35, 38-51 and 57-49 verdict and progress to the second round.

In another interesting and keenly contested encounter Gaurav Prabhu got the better of Karan Chugani 4-3 (52-14, 35-68, 49-58. 25-64, 47-2, 59-25 and 62-39) to also move into the next round.

Results – Round 1: Rahul Bisht bt Ronak Dedhia 4-2 (64-22, 27-50, 29-69, 61-47, 43-30, 56-42); Gaurav Prabhu bt Karan Chugani 4-3 (52-14, 35-68, 49-58. 25-64, 47-2, 59-25, 62-39); Samay Wadhawan bt Md. Shafique Khatri 4-0 (60-52, 51-7, 75-45, 62-8); Rahul Narang bt Jai Shroff 4-0 (80-32, 71-30, 69-51, 62-53); Suyog Mukadam bt Akash Israni 4-3 (35-51, 49-63, 49-18, 84-37, 45-35, 38-51, 57-49); Vivek Shah bt Sagar Desai 4-2 (19-79, 51-14, 58-26, 48-47, 41-62, 66-50); Shivam Arora bt Hormuz Pardiwala 4-0 (67-20, 74-0, 77-8, 91-19); Samarth Vernekar bt Ameya Swaly 4-1 (88-48, 45-61, 61-22, 78-28, 80-30).