Pakistan’s Asif, Aftab shine on opening day of IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship

Pakistan’s top cueists, Muhammad Asif and Shahid Aftab, made a strong start to their IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship campaign in Bahrain, cruising into the knockout stage with impressive performances on the opening day.

The event features 43 players from 15 countries. Both Asif and Aftab went unbeaten on day one, winning their respective group matches.

Placed in Group C, former world champion Asif showcased dominant form, winning both matches in straight frames. He opened with a 3-0 victory over Haitham Bin Ali of Oman, with scores of 89-33, 69-4, and 53-6. He recorded a break of 61 in the first frame and followed with a 46 in the second, demonstrating complete control at the table.

Asif followed up with another flawless 3-0 win, this time against Ireland’s Jay Chopra. The frames ended 68-33, 79-14, and 67-16. While no major breaks were recorded in the second match, his consistent scoring and tactical precision ensured a comfortable win.

Shahid Aftab, placed in Group B, faced tougher opposition and needed to dig deep in both of his matches, each going down to the deciding fifth frame.

In his first match, Aftab edged past Egypt’s Mohamed Noweir 3-2 in a tightly contested battle, with frame scores of 68-43, 47-64, 88-35, 31-60, and 94-36. He played a superb break of 88 in the third frame and held his nerve to close out the decider.

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Aftab’s second match saw a dramatic comeback against Kuwait’s Abdullah Alyousef. After trailing 0-2, he won three consecutive frames to clinch the match 3-2. He registered a break of 48 in the third frame and sealed the victory with a decisive 73 in the fifth.

Both Asif and Aftab will now face Indian opponents in their final group matches on Monday, aiming to finish the group stage unbeaten.