Manama, July 17, 2025: Pakistan’s cueists Muhammad Asif and Hasnain Akhtar continued their strong run at the IBSF World Snooker Championship, securing semi-final berths in the Masters and U17 categories, respectively.
Three-time IBSF world champion Muhammad Asif displayed vintage form in the Masters quarter-final, overpowering Bahrain’s Habib Sabah with a clinical 4-0 win. Asif set the tone early, crafting a 68-point break to take the opening frame 68-8. Although Habib offered some resistance in the second frame, Asif remained composed to claim it 57-37 before sealing the match with dominant scores of 68-8 and 40-8 in the final two frames.
He will now face India’s Manan Chandra in a highly anticipated semi-final scheduled for 10 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PST).
In the U17 category, 16-year-old sensation Hasnain Akhtar continued his unbeaten streak with a 3-1 comeback victory over Poland’s Krzysztof Czapnik. Czapnik took the opening frame 78-1, thanks to a solid 57-point break—marking the first frame Hasnain lost in the entire tournament.
However, the young Pakistani bounced back impressively, claiming the next three frames with commanding scores of 92-1, 67-45, and 58-16, showcasing both mental resilience and technical finesse.
Hasnain entered the quarter-finals after an immaculate group-stage performance, winning all his matches without dropping a single frame. He also eased past Oman’s Mutasim Al Saadi in the pre-quarters with another dominant display.
Pakistan’s twin success in the championship underlines the country’s growing footprint in international snooker, with both veterans and youth making their mark.
