Pakistan(National Times)- Pakistan’s world amateur snooker champion, Muhammad Asif, displayed a flawless performance to clinch the title at the third SAARC Snooker Championship in Colombo on Friday.  He defeated Sri Lanka’s Thaha Irshath in the final with a commanding 5-0 victory, without dropping a single frame throughout the match. The final was held at the Moors Snooker Club in Colombo, where Asif showcased his exceptional skills and cue control.  He dominated throughout the final to win it with frame scores of 99-3, 73-46, 85-38, 109-6, and 74-0.  Asif registered three breaks of 50 or over in the best of 9 final, including a top break of 67 in the opening and closing frames, which sealed his comprehensive win. The SAARC Snooker Championship title is Asif’s eighth career title, highlighting his status as one of the most successful amateur players in the region. “Winning this title is a moment of great pride for me and Pakistan,” Asif said after the match. The champion has also received congratulations from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif as they lauded Asif in separate messages for demonstrating his best game in the entire championship particularly the final. “Muhammad Asif brought laurels to Pakistan in the game of snooker. I pray for Muhammad Asif’s success in the future as well,” President Zardari said. Prime Minister Shehbaz also felicitated cueist Asif on winning the third SAARC snooker championship. “Muhammad Asif won an important snooker championship and brought the country’s name to the limelight in the whole world.The whole nation is proud of you,” the PM said.  He also expressed best wishes for Asif’s future. Asif’s victory in Colombo also makes him the second Pakistani to win the SAARC Snooker Championship.  The first edition of the event, held in 2019, was won by Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal. This latest triumph adds another feather to the cap of the 42-year-old from Faisalabad, who has already cemented his legacy in amateur snooker. Asif is a three-time world champion, having won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2012, 2019, and again in 2024.

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