Hussian shocks O’Donoghue; Advani prevails in IBSF World Snooker

Doha, Nov 9 (PTI) India’s Hussian Khan scored a shock 4-2 win over fancied Brendon O’Donoghue of Ireland in his opening league match of the IBSF World Snooker Championships here on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Indian, who came through the first stage qualification, took a quick 3-0 lead over the Irish cueist in the best-of-seven frame Group ‘L’ match. O’Donoghue pulled one back with a break of 62 in the fourth, and won a nervy fifth on the black.

But Hussian regrouped quickly to take the sixth frame and the match.

Later, former champion Pankaj Advani overcame Malaysia’s Thor Chuan Leong in a thriller (4-3) for his second win in Group ‘H’.

In the women’s draw, Amee Kamani, coming off a bronze medal effort at the Heyball World Championships four days ago, got down to business straightway.

The 33-year-old edged out the formidable Choi Yan Tung of Hong Kong China 2-1 in Group ‘D’.

Keerthana Pandian, a former World U-21 champion, outclassed Iran’s Setayesh Amirazimi 2-0 in Group ‘B’.

Results (Indians unless mentioned): Men: Group E: Nicolas Mortreux (Fra) bt Brijesh Damani 4-3 (69-62, 12-112 (73), 52-41, 28-57, 80-53, 46-83, 77-0); Liang Xiaolong (Chn) bt Damani 4-1 (5-104 (98), 72-42, 66-22, 72 (72) -40, 57-29).

Group H: Pankaj Advani bt Thor Chuan Leong (Mas) 4-3 (61-78, 59-28, 37-72 (54), 66 (55) -21, 67-59, 1-66 (54), 60-19).

Group L: Hussain Khan bt Brendon O’Donoghue (Ire) 4-2 (81-57, 65-8, 56-48, 50- 62 (62), 59-68, 68-14).

Women: Group A: Ng On Yee (HKC) bt Shruthi L 2-0 (101-10, 76-8).

Group B: Keerthana Pandian bt Setayesh Amirazimi (Irn) 2-0 (47-8, 55-29).

Group D: Amee Kamani bt Choi Yan Tung (HKC) 2-1 (51-25, 33-62, 66-11). PTI UNG AM UNG AM AM