Muhammad Asif Archives

Pakistan’s Asif advances to World Snooker Championship knockouts

DOHA: Pakistan’s seasoned cueist and three-time world champion Muhammad Asif defeated China’s Pan Yaming to qualify for the knockouts of the IBSF World Snooker Championship 2025.

Pakistan cueist continued to deliver impressive performances on day three of the championship, with Asjad Iqbal and Shahid Aftab also securing victories in their matches. However, Muhammad Hasnain suffered defeat and fell short in his crucial game.

According to Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) Secretary General Naveed Kapadia, Muhammad Asif reached the knockout stage after defeating China’s Pan Yiming 4–3 in a thrilling second-round contest.

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The frame scores were 18–68, 35–74, 37–90, 76–8, 78–58, 91–26, and 28–55 in Asif’s favour.

Earlier, Asjad Iqbal edged past Iran’s Hamid Zareh Doost 4–3 in another nail-biting encounter, with frame scores of 24–61, 17–60, 53–52, 69–10, 80–11, 0–79, and 7–75.

During the match, Asjad also compiled an impressive break of 67. Meanwhile, Shahid Aftab defeated Isle of Man’s (UK) Darryl Hill 4–1, recording frame scores of 56–3, 14–66, 6–80, 4–81, and 52–61, and made a fine break of 68.

However, Muhammad Hasnain lost his match 4–3 to UAE’s Muhammad Shehab, with frame scores of 13–72, 19–73, 67–29, 80–6, 54–19, 19–53, and 62–68.

For context, the tournament, which is underway from November 3 to 13, is currently played in two stages.

According to the rules mentioned on the IBSF official site, two qualifying events will be held, each allowing a maximum of 64 players. The events will be conducted on a knock-out basis, with matches to be played over two days each, in a best-of-7 frames format.

The second stage involves 48 players, of which 32 players are pre-qualified. The Last-16 players in Stage 2 will automatically qualify for Stage 2 of the following year’s championship.

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Muhammad Asif, Asjad Iqbal set to compete at IBSF World Snooker Championship

KARACHI: Pakistan’s seasoned cueists Muhammad Asif and Asjad Iqbal are set to participate in the IBSF World Snooker Championship 2025, which will be held in Doha, Qatar, from November 3rd.

The Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) announced the participation of the national snooker team comprising five players.

Besides Asif and Asjad, the players featuring in the tournament are Shahid Aftab, Muhammad Sajjad, and Muhammad Hasnain Akhtar.

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The three-time World Champion Asif directly qualified for the last 48 as the defending Champion.

On the contrary, Asjad Iqbal qualified on the last basis of the 16 knockout round last year, while Muhammad Hasnain Akhtar is directly qualified for the last 48 by virtue of being the Current World U-17 Champion 2025.

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Ahead of the tournament, a training camp of the participating players will be organized at Jahanger Khan Sports Complex, Karachi.

The camp will allow players to hone their skills in preparation for the mega event, with the PBSF expressing confidence that they will shine at the Championship.

For context, the Men’s Championship will be played in two stages, with all players, except those directly placed into Stage 2 by the IBSF Technical Committee, having to advance through Stage 1.

According to the rules mentioned on the IBSF official site, two qualifying events will be held, each allowing a maximum of 64 players. The events will be conducted on a knock-out basis, completed over two days each, with matches to be Best of 7 frames.

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Muhammad Asif defeats Britain’s Zak Cosker to reach World Games semi finals

CHENDGU: Pakistan’s seasoned snooker player Muhammad Asif continued his impressive performance at the World Games 2025 by defeating Britain’s Zak Cosker, securing a place in the semi-finals on Tuesday.

In the first frame, Asif achieved a convincing victory with a score of 79-15, which featured an impressive break of 51.

He continued to assert his dominance in the second frame, winning 89-31 to secure the match.

With this victory, Muhammad Asif is now just one win away from earning a medal at the World Games.

A win in the semi-final will guarantee him a podium finish, while a loss will still allow him the opportunity to compete for the bronze medal.

For the unversed, Asif won his second match at the World Games on Monday, edging past Germany’s Alexander Widau 2-1 in a tense Group B encounter to confirm his berth in the quarterfinal.

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Asif was forced to fight back after losing the opening frame 29-43.

He responded in style, producing a brilliant 109-point break to dominate the second frame 116-9 and level the match.

Carrying that momentum into the decider, the Pakistani veteran sealed victory with a 67-32 win.

The two-time IBSF World Champion had started his campaign on Sunday with a convincing 2-0 win over China’s Xiaolong Liang, taking the frames 79-50 and 77-24.

With back-to-back victories, Muhammad Asif topped Group B and booked his place in the quarterfinals.

It is important to note that Pakistan has only won one medal in the history of this competition. That solitary medal was earned in snooker by Shokat Ali, who claimed the bronze at the 2001 World Games.

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Muhammad Asif secures second victory at World Games 2025

CHENGDU: Pakistan’s seasoned cueist Muhammad Asif continued his fine run at the World Games 2025, edging past Germany’s Alexander Widau 2-1 in a tense Group B encounter in Chengdu, China, on Monday.

Asif was forced to fight back after losing the opening frame 29-43. He responded in style, producing a brilliant 109-point break to dominate the second frame 116-9 and level the match.

Carrying that momentum into the decider, the Pakistani veteran sealed victory with a 67-32 win.

With back-to-back victories, Asif has topped Group B and booked his place in the quarterfinals, scheduled for Tuesday.

The two-time IBSF World Champion had started his campaign on Sunday with a convincing 2-0 win over China’s Xiaolong Liang, taking the frames 79-50 and 77-24.

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In the men’s snooker event at the World Games, 12 players are split into four groups, with the top two progressing to the quarterfinals.

The tournament is part of a multi-sport spectacle featuring over 4,000 athletes from more than 100 nations, competing in 34 disciplines.

Snooker, introduced to the Games in 2001, will see 12 contenders battle for gold this year.

Muhammad Asif qualified for the World Games by clinching the IBSF World Men’s Snooker Championship in Doha last year, defeating Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou 4-3 in a thrilling final.

Last month, he further underlined his form by capturing the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship in Bahrain, overcoming India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 to secure his sixth world title, including two team and three individual crowns.

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Muhammad Asif to represent Pakistan at World Games 2025

KARACHI: Pakistan’s veteran snooker player Muhammad Asif is set to fly out to Chengdu, China, later tonight to take part in the prestigious World Games 2025.

The Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA) confirmed Asif’s participation on Thursday, stating that the 42-year-old had secured qualification for the global event by winning the IBSF World Men’s Snooker Championship 2024 in Doha.

Asif had beaten Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou to capture the IBSF World Men’s title in Doha in November 2024, earning his place in the World Games lineup.

The World Games 2025, being staged in Chengdu under the banner of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS), will see elite cueists from around the globe compete in a multi-sport setting.

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Muhammad Asif is scheduled to depart from Karachi on Thursday, 7 August at 11:30 PM.

The seasoned campaigner has been in exceptional form recently. Just last month, he clinched the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship in Manama, Bahrain, with a 4-3 win over India’s Brijest Damani, adding another feather to an already illustrious cap.

The IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship victory marked his sixth world crown, which includes three individual, two team, and one masters championship, further cementing his legacy as one of Pakistan’s greatest cueists.

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Muhammad Asif triumphs over India’s Damani to win World Masters Snooker title

MANAMA: Pakistan’s star cueist Muhammad Asif defeated India’s Brijest Damani 4-3 to clinch the International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Masters Snooker Championship here at the Crowne Plaza, Bahrain.

The seasoned cueist emerged victorious in a battle of nerves in the all-important final of the tournament.

Damani initially gained the upper hand by winning three consecutive frames, establishing a significant lead.

However, Muhammad Asif showcased impressive determination by capturing the sixth frame convincingly, which brought the match to a decisive seventh frame.

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In this final frame, Asif completely dominated Damani, successfully avenging his earlier 3-0 defeat in the group stage with a scoreline of 98-37, 75-55, 0-80, 49-52, 41-64, 91-29, and 78-9.

The IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship marked Muhammad Asif’s sixth world title, enhancing his remarkable career record to include two team championships and three individual titles at the age of 36.

Earlier, Pakistan’s young cueist Hasnain Akhtar also defeated Wales’ Riley Powell in the final to win the World U-17 Snooker Championship.

The 16-year-old secured a 4-0 victory against his rival, while Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif’s match against India’s Brijesh Damani is currently ongoing in the final of the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship 2025.

Hasnain Akhtar, who remained undefeated in the tournament, showcased his dominance throughout the final, recording a comprehensive win with the frames score of 86-7, 73-35, 50-32, and 98-4.

With this victory, Hasnain Akhtar also etched his name into Pakistan’s history books, becoming the only player to win the IBSF World Championship in the U17 category.

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Asif downs India’s Chandra to reach IBSF World Snooker Championship 2025 final

MANAMA: Pakistan’s seasoned snooker star Muhammad Asif has booked his place in the final of the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship 2025 after defeating India’s Manan Chandra here on Thursday.

In a highly anticipated semi-final clash, Asif showcased a brilliant performance and defeated India’s Manan Chandra by 4-2 in the Masters category.

With this victory, Asif inched closer to another world title and continues to uphold Pakistan’s strong presence in international snooker.

Earlier, Muhammad Asif outplayed Bahrain’s Habib Sabah 4-0 to reach the semi-final. The seasoned cueist dominated proceedings from the outset, registering identical breaks of 68 in two of the frames and conceding just eight points in three of them.

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Muhammad Asif is the second cueist after Young cueist Hasnain Akhtar to reach the final in the tournament.

Earlier, unbeaten Hasnain Akhtar, competing in the U-17 category, reached the final. The 16-year-old dominated Poland’s Oliwier Nizialek in the semifinal, securing a comprehensive victory with a final score of 4-0.

Hasnain, who won the Asian U-21 title in Riyadh in 2024, remained perfect in the semi-final as well, recording scores of 76-1, 69-8, 88-0, and 62-37.

The tournament is being held in Manama, Bahrain, from July 13th to 24th, 2025, and features top players from around the globe in the Masters, U17, U21, and Men’s 6-Red categories.

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Muhammad Asif stuns seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry

CHELTENHAM: Pakistan’s professional snooker player Muhammad Asif stunned seven-time World Snooker Champion Stephen Hendry in the qualifying round of the ongoing British Open 2023 here on Monday.

Asif, who earned a two-year professional card for the World Snooker Tour (WST) in June last year, tasted a major triumph as he downed Hendry 4-2 in the best of seven.

The qualifying round match between Hendry and Asif got off to a contrasting start as the seven-time world champion pulled ahead, courtesy of a brilliant break of 73.

Muhammad Asif, however, was quick to react and won the next three frames to move one within the victory.

Hendry then managed to pull one back, edging Asif by the score of 74-43 in the fifth frame.

But Muhammad Asif, with momentum in his favour, kept his nerves calm and halted Stephen Hendry’s comeback by winning the match-defining frame.

Former champion Hendry scored the biggest break of the match (73) in the first frame while Muhammad Asif’s 66 was only the other 50-plus break, came in the sixth.

Meanwhile, another professional Pakistan cueist Asjad Iqbal will compete against China’s Tian Pengfei in the ongoing qualifying round on August 16.

Shoaib Arif, the founder of Pro Snooker PK, who supported national snooker players Asif and Asjad to become the first cueists from the country to earn a professional card in the World Snooker Tour (WST), congratulated the nation on the historic feat for the country and termed it as “a gift on the independence day”.

After earning the professional card, both Asjad Iqbal and Muhammad Asif participated in several ranking titles but failed to make it big.

Asjad Iqbal had a dream run in the Snooker Shoot Out in January this year when he downed England’s counterpart, Jimmy Robertson 73-33 to book a spot in the Round of 32.

Asjad, who stunned David Gilbert in the first round, carried on his momentum to add Robertson to the list of scalped opponents.

In the Round of 64 clash against Robertson, Asjad displayed utter domination as he outclassed his opponent with a gigantic margin of 40 points.

The Pakistani cueist was trailing by five points till the eighth minute before he scripted yet another astounding comeback and sealed the victory; courtesy of a Break of 64.

With his precision and by holding his nerves calm, it was an easy affair for the national cueist in the closing moments before the match timer ran out.

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