DOHA – Pakistani cueist Muhammad Asif won the IBSF World Snooker Championship for the third time in Doha, Qatar.
The 42-year-old cueist entered the championship as a wildcard qualifier, and after winning the qualifying round, he demonstrated excellent performances in both the main and knockout rounds to secure the title.
In the final, Asif faced Iran’s player Ali Gharagozloo. The best-of-9 frames final began with Asif winning the first frame 25-70. In the second frame, Ali made a comeback, winning with 94 points to 7, leveling the match 1-1.
Asif regained the lead by winning the third frame 62-8, making it 2-1 in his favor. In the fourth frame, Asif did not allow his opponent even a single pot, playing a 106 clearance break to extend his lead to 3-1. This was Asif’s sixth century break in the tournament.
In the fifth frame, Asif continued his dominance, winning 82-12, further solidifying his advantage. After trailing 4-1, the Iranian cueist showed some resistance, winning the sixth and seventh frames, but in the eighth frame, Asif sealed the match with a 93 break, securing the victory.
This is Muhammad Asif’s third individual World Championship title and his fifth overall world title. He had previously won the individual World Championship in 2012 and 2019.
