By Syed Khalid Mahmood
Mohammad Yousuf, a former world champion, will not be taking part in the NJI 34th National Snooker Championship 2009, to be held at the historic Karachi Gymkhana from March 16 to 21.
The President of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, has confirmed that Yousuf was not considered for a wild card entry because he didn’t submit any such request in writing to take part in the upcoming National Championship.
“Yousuf was not an automatic qualifier for this year’s Nationals since he had lost his place in the top 16 last year. He could have re-entered the national circuit by playing the provincial cup that he didn’t do. We would have certainly considered his request for a wild card entry if he had approached us,” the PBSA President said.
“We have awarded wild card entries in the national ranking tournaments in the past as well to the leading cueists like Saleh Mohammad, Naveen Perwani and Farhan Mirza,” he added.
Alamgir Shaikh, having taken over the leadership of the PBSA only last year, clarified that the Association did not hold any grudge against Yousuf or any other cueist.
Having won the national snooker title on the highest number of occasions, Yousuf will be missing the National Championship only for the second time in his long career.
The only Pakistani to have won the World Championship as well as the Asian Championship, Yousuf, acclaimed as a master craftsman, had last absented in 1999 when he had been banned for the whole year by the PBSA on disciplinary grounds.
It was the same year when Saleh Mohammad had completed a grand slam by winning all the four national ranking tournaments.
Yousuf had bounced back in style and regained the national title after the layoff. He then went on to annex World Seniors Snooker title. It remains to be seen if he will make another comeback.
Mohammad Yousuf, a former world champion, will not be taking part in the NJI 34th National Snooker Championship 2009, to be held at the historic Karachi Gymkhana from March 16 to 21.
The President of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, has confirmed that Yousuf was not considered for a wild card entry because he didn’t submit any such request in writing to take part in the upcoming National Championship.
“Yousuf was not an automatic qualifier for this year’s Nationals since he had lost his place in the top 16 last year. He could have re-entered the national circuit by playing the provincial cup that he didn’t do. We would have certainly considered his request for a wild card entry if he had approached us,” the PBSA President said.
“We have awarded wild card entries in the national ranking tournaments in the past as well to the leading cueists like Saleh Mohammad, Naveen Perwani and Farhan Mirza,” he added.
Alamgir Shaikh, having taken over the leadership of the PBSA only last year, clarified that the Association did not hold any grudge against Yousuf or any other cueist.
Having won the national snooker title on the highest number of occasions, Yousuf will be missing the National Championship only for the second time in his long career.
The only Pakistani to have won the World Championship as well as the Asian Championship, Yousuf, acclaimed as a master craftsman, had last absented in 1999 when he had been banned for the whole year by the PBSA on disciplinary grounds.
It was the same year when Saleh Mohammad had completed a grand slam by winning all the four national ranking tournaments.
Yousuf had bounced back in style and regained the national title after the layoff. He then went on to annex World Seniors Snooker title. It remains to be seen if he will make another comeback.
Meanwhile the winner of the NJI 34th National Snooker Championship 2009 will be collecting a handsome purse of Rs 90,000 alongwith a glittering trophy. The details about the six-day event, being sponsored by the New Jubilee Insurance (NJI) having become the major sponsors for snooker events, were unveiled in a media briefing here at the Karachi Gymkhana on March 12.
1 comment
AsImPLe PeRSoN wIt A GreAt TaLeNt he's a VeRy hMmbLe aNd doWn tO eArTh sOrT oF gUy aNd hAs gOt a pUrE aNd beAuTifUl pErsONalitY...
I duN no WhY PbSa iS dOin ThiS aLl WiTh hIm..SnOokER Iz FaMoUs cOz oV hIm He'z a gREaT pErsOnAlItY oV PaKisTaNn ReaLlY pRoUd ov hIm
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