CCI Snooker Classic 2024
Chawla stuns Chadha 5-0; Advani, Rawat in last 8
28-Feb-2024
Kamal Chawla
Mumbai, February 28: Kamal Chawla enjoyed an easy outing and went on to record a stunning 5-0 win against Ishpreet Singh Chadha in a in a best-of-9-frame round of 16 match of the Rs 12.5 lakh prize-money CCI Snooker Classic 2024, organised by the Cricket Club of India and played at the CCI’s Sir Wilson Jones billiards hall on Thursday evening.
The tall lanky Chawla, stuck to the basics and kept it simple against snooker pro Chadha, who surprisingly was unable to find his touch and failed to put up a fight. Chawla capitalized on the chances to build small but useful breaks, which helped secure a well-deserved 83-4, 53-36, 92-5, 70-14, and 77-14 success and a berth in the last eight.
Reigning champion Pankaj Advani staved off spirited fight from young Digvijay Kadian pulling off a 5-3 (37-81, 83-40, 41-83, 6-98, 94-2, 73-23, 67-5, and 94-34) win in another last 16 match. Advani had a solitary break of 72 in the eight frame while Kadian complied a break of 94 in the fourth.
Bahrain cueist and IBSF World Masters Snooker champion Habib Sabah crashed out losing to Laxman Rawat 3-5. Laxman rose to the challenge and constructed breaks of 80, 60 and 66 to outduel the Bahrain player who struggled a bit, and managed only one big effort of 54. Rawat sealed a 60-69, 60-66, 80-48, 64-36, 88-49, 77-19, 45-71 and 81-54 victory.
Meanwhile, home challengers Hasan Badami’s excellent run came to an end as he suffered 3-5 defeat at the hands of Tamil Nadu’s Vijay Nichani in a scrappy round of 16 encounter. Both Nichani and Badmi played way below their best and missed some easy pots and as a result there was not a single notable break in the match. Nachani, who managed to roll a 47 break in the third frame, went on to clinch a 21-71, 65-48, 79-29, 13-77, 67-39, 14-67, 51-30, and 62-43 victory.
Mumbai’s talented 21-year-old cueist Rayaan Razmi continued with his impressive run of form and brushed aside the fight from J. Varun Kumar racing to a 5-1 win. Razmi potted confidently and steadily and did well to post a 94-26, 66-50, 74-26, 25-135, 83-39, and 71-2 win to advance to the quarter-finals.
Results - Round 16: Kamal Chawla bt Ishpreet Singh Chadha 5-0 (83-4, 53-36, 92-5, 70-14, 77-14); Pankaj Advani bt Digvijay Kadian 5-3 (37-81, 83-40, 41-83, 6-98(94), 94-2, 73-23, 67-5, 94(72)-34); Nitesh Madan bt Rrahul Sachdev 5-3 (64-43, 8-73, 70-20, 60-12, 4-85(56), 84(51)-5, 28-82(75), 67-49); Vijay Nichani bt Hasan Badami 5-3 (21-71, 65-48, 79(47)-29, 13-77, 67-39, 14-67, 51-30, 62-43); Rayaan Razmi bt J. Varun Kumar 5-1 (94-26, 66-50, 74-26, 25-135(71), 83-39, 71-2); Pushpinder Singh bt Shivam Arora 5-0 (83-28, 77(51)-32, 96(96)-0, 54-38, 98(98)-4); Stephen Lee bt Faisal Khan 5-1 (73-31, 23-93(62), 69-20, 75-36, 91(91)-33, 63(50)-24); Laxman Rawat bt Habib Sabah 5-3 (60-69, 60-66, 80(80)-48, 64(60)-36, 88-49, 77(66)-19, 45-71(54), 81-54).
Round 32: Habib Sabah bt Kanishq Khankharia 4-2 (72-20, 65-29, 2-61, 10-73(66), 55-47, 61-9); Rahul Sachdev bt Anurag Giri 4-3 (37-60, 105(75)-13, 103(103)-0, 10-63, 73(73)-0, 41-90, 67-62); Pankaj Advani bt Samar Khandelwal 4-1 (70(52)-32, 81-7, 103(95)-26, 54-79, 78(70)-24); Ishpreet Singh Chadha bt Amee Kamani 4-0 (80(63)-27, 72-25, 82(82)-0, 118(118)-0).