Pankaj Advani kicks off IBSF World Snooker Championship with win over Sahil Nayyar

Pankaj Advani began his IBSF World Snooker Championship campaign with a 4-1 win over Canada’s Sahil Nayyar in the Group H match. Advani next faces Malaysia’s Thor Chuan Leong. Brijesh Damani and Hussain Khan also feature in the tournament

Hyderabad: Three-time champion Pankaj Advani began his campaign with a workmanlike 66-29, 86-25, 55-71, 64-25, 80 (53)-9 win over Canada’s Sahil Nayyar in the IBSF World Snooker Championships here on Saturday.

Barring a minor hiccup in the third frame of the best-of-seven-frame Group ‘H’ encounter, the Indian cueist was largely untroubled. Advani got into his stride straightaway, building a quick 2-0 lead.

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The Ludhiana-born Nayyar, trailing in the early part of the third frame, pulled one back with small breaks. However, the 40-year-old Advani, who last won the title in 2017, quickly put that blemish behind him and took the fourth frame without much difficulty.

In the fifth frame, Advani found his rhythm, making a match-clinching break of 53. The Indian ace will next take on Malaysia’s Thor Chuan Leong, who came through the first stage.

In Group ‘E’, Brijesh Damani was trailing 2-3 against France’s Nicolas Mortreux. Hussain Khan, the third Indian in the men’s draw, is set to take on Ireland’s Brendon O’Donoghue in his opening match later in the evening.