CCI Snooker Classic 2023: National champion Chawla, Pherwani make winning starts

Mumbai: National snooker champion Kamal Chawla of Railways and runner-up Sparsh Pherwani of Maharashtra launched their campaigns on a winning note, as they comfortably won their respective round of 64 matches of the Cricket Club of India (CCI)-organised Rs 12.1 lakh prize-money CCI Snooker Classic 2023 here on Tuesday.

Indian No. 1 Chawla potted steadily to brush aside the challenge from Delhi’s Sandeep Gulati marching to a 4-2 (78-12, 53-11, 37-84, 40-66, 65-39, and 53-29) victory in the best-of-7-frames encounter played at the CCI’s Sir Wilson Jones billiards hall.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai-based India No. 2, Pherwani was in good nick and compiled three half-century breaks as he sent E. Pandurangaiah of Railways crashing out by racing to a 4-0 (80-11, 94-21, 71-23, and 73-0) win.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra state No. 1 snooker player Hasan Badami showed good touch and was in control as he strolled past Uttar Pradesh’s Paras Gupta clinching a 4-2 (64-42, 58-78, 51-76, 81-51, 65-18, and 62-35) victory. Badami will take on Pherwani in the next round.

Mumbai’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha, the India No. 3, was also striking the ball well and rolled in three half-century breaks — 65 in the first frame, 81 in the third and 59 in the fifth — to overcome Dilip Kumar of Tamil Nadu for a convincing 4-2 (100-38, 18-61, 81-1, 58-65, 100-1, and 64-49) victory to join his city-mate Pherwani in the last 32.

Alfie Lee from England settled down quickly and without much opposition outplayed Ketan Chawla cruising to a 4-0 (71-6, 73-66, 72-13, and 78-65) win. The Englishman for his good showing produced runs of 42 and 44 in the first two frames during his win.

National Junior billiards champion Rayaan Ramzi of Mumbai crashed out losing 2-4 to Delhi’s Jaisom Malhotra in an absorbing match that went the distance. Razmi after losing the opening two frames came roaring back to win three successive frames to take a 3-2 lead. But, Malhotra arrested Rayaan’s charge by winning the sixth to level the frames scores before comfortably winning the decider to complete a 73-29, 72-58, 19-53, 36-67, 23-71, 58-28, and 76-19 success.

Results – Round of 64): Kamal Chawla (Rlys) bt Sandeep Gulati (Del) 4-2 (78(42,35)-12, 53-11, 37-84, 40-66, 65-39, 53-29); Jaison Malhotra (Del) bt Rayaan Razmi (Mah) 4-3 (73-29, 72-58, 19-53, 36-67, 23-71, 58-28, 76-19); Ishpreet Singh Chadha (Mah) bt Dilip Kumar (Tamil Nadu) 4-2 (100(65)-38, 18-61, 81(81)-1, 58-65(46), 100(59)-1, 64-49); Pushender Singh (Rlys) bt K. Srinu (Rlys) 4-2 (120(81)-0, 39-61, 66-29, 87-31, 53-61, 64-1; Sparsh Pherwani (Mah) bt E. Pandurangaiah (Rlys) 4-0 (80-11, 94(66)-21, 71(57)-23, 73(73)-0); Digvijay Kadian (Har) bt R. Girish (Rlys) 4-1 (57-30, 91(71)-7, 12-58, 60-19, 72-5); Hasan Badami (Mah) bt Paras Gupta (UP) 4-2 (64(53)-42, 58-78, 51-76, 81-51, 65-18, 62-35); Shivam Arora (Mah) bt Manan Chandra (PSPB) 4-1 (66-23, 48-84, 79-28, 74-18, 62-49); Alfie Lee (UK) bt Ketan Chawla ( ) 4-0 (71(42)-6, 73(44)-66, 72-13, 78-65).