Doha, November 6, 2024 – Pakistan’s star cueist, Muhammad Asif, triumphed over Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou to clinch the 2024 IBSF World Snooker Championship, marking his third individual world title. Entering the tournament as a qualifier, 42-year-old Asif received a wild card entry from the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA). He navigated his way through the qualification, main, and knockout rounds with exceptional skill, ultimately facing Gharahgozlou in a best-of-nine frames final.
Asif opened the match with a dominant 70-25 frame win. Although Gharahgozlou leveled by taking the second frame 94-7, Asif swiftly regained momentum, securing the third frame 62-8. In the fourth frame, he delivered a perfect 106-point clearance, his sixth century break of the tournament, giving him a 3-1 lead.
Asif continued his run in the fifth frame with an 82-12 win, pushing his lead to 4-1. Gharahgozlou responded by winning the sixth and seventh frames, but Asif clinched victory in the eighth frame with an impressive 93-point break, sealing the title.
With this win, Asif matches India’s Pankaj Advani’s record of three individual world titles, adding to his previous victories in 2012 and 2019. Including his two team titles, Asif now holds a total of five world championships, making him Pakistan’s most decorated cueist.
