India A wins, India B loses on opening day of snooker World Cup in Muscat

India A, led by Pankaj Advani, Aditya Mehta and Brijesh Damani, defeated Oman A 3-0 in the World Cup of snooker in Muscat. India B, featuring Dhvaj Haria and Hussain Khan, lost 1-3 to France after a bright start

Hyderabad: Indian teams enjoyed mixed fortunes on the opening day of the team event competition of the World Cup of snooker in Muscat (Oman) on Thursday.

While former champions India ‘A’, comprising Pankaj Advani, Aditya Mehta and Brijesh Damani, began their campaign with a 3-0 annihilation of Oman ‘A’, India ‘B’ went down 1-3 to France.

Three-time IBSF champion Pankaj Advani began the demolition job in Group ‘F’ with a crushing 80-4 win over Omar Sultan. Although Advani did not come up with a big break, his rival did not have the wherewithal to test the Indian ace.

Aditya Mehta, who was part of the team along with Advani when India last won in 2019, took his time to find his rhythm and range against Ahmed Alkhusaibi. Once he settled down, the Mumbaikar rifled in a frame-clinching break of 53 to put India 2-0 up.

Brijesh Damani then joined hands with Advani to defeat the pair of Sultan and Alkhusaibi 62-20 to complete the rout.

Earlier in the morning, India ‘B’, comprising Dhvaj Haria and unheralded Hussain Khan, lost the plot after a bright start to France in Group ‘A’.

Southpaw Haria, the National 6-red snooker champion, outclassed Gauvain Bazin 134-0 with a break of 93 in the first frame. But the formidable Nicolas Mortreux restored parity for France with a 71-10 win over Hussain in the next.

Mortreux and Bazin then won the crucial doubles on the black ball to take a 2-1 lead before Mortreux edged out Haria 79-49 for a 3-1 verdict.