Pankaj Advani (ONGC) and S. Srikrishna (BPCL) both recorded identical 4-0 victories to storm into the quarter-finals of the Senior Snooker event of the Khar Gymkhana presents CR Realty-Western India Billiards and Snooker Championships 2024, played at the Khar Gymkhana billiards hall on Friday.
The Benguluru-based Advani, winner of 27 World titles, brushed aside the challenge from Railway’s Siddharth Parikh charging to a 65-14, 71-60, 63-8, and 64-20 victory. On the side table, the Tamil Nadu-based Srikrishna played with a steady approach and went on to blank Md Hussain Khan (Rlys) 65-27, 69-34, 68-39, and 65-14.
Meanwhile, Railways’ Faisal Khan played solid determination and after losing the first two frames against Mumbai’s talented cueist Rayaan Razmi staged a gallant fight to register a 4-2 (30-74, 2-79, 75-13, 69-27, 58-29, and 78-19) win and a place in the quarter-finals.
Reigning Indian National champion Sourav Kothari (ONGC) also progressed to the quarter-finals defeating West Bengal’s Saqlain Mushtaque 4-1 (71-8, 44-60, 92-24, 66-15, 91-0).
Former National champion Kamal Chawla received a walkover from Aditya Mehta who reported being sick.
Results: Senior snooker – Pre-quarter-finals: Sourav Kothari (ONGC) bt Saqlain Mushtaque (WB) 4-1 (71(56)-8, 44-60, 92-24, 66-15, 91-0); Kamal Chawla (Rlys) W/o Aditya Mehta (IOCL); S. Srikrishna (BPCL) bt Md Hussain Khan (Rlys) 4-0 (65-27, 69-34, 68-39, 65-14); Shoaib Khan (Del) bt Sparsh Pherwani (Mum) 4-2 (75(52)-10, 67-23, 67-28, 36-75, 45-71(60), 63-37); Faisal Khan (RSPB) bt Rayaan Razmi (Mum) 4-2 (30-74, 2-79, 75-13, 69-27, 58-29, 78-19); Anuj Uppal (Del) bt Digvijay Kadian (Har) 4-2 (68-50, 35-69, 70-25, 1392, 75(52)-68, 67-41); Pankaj Advani (ONGC) bt Siddharth Parikh (Rlys) 4-0 (65-14, 71-60(59), 63(43)-8, 64-20).
