Yasin, Alok sail into Q/F of Asian Snooker Championship

Lahore, June 15 (UNI) Former Asian champions of India Alok Kumar and Yasin Merchant made their way into the quarter-finals of the 23rd Asian Snooker Championship being played in Karachi.

Second seed Alok made his way into last eight defeating Hong Kong's Chan Hon Kwan by five frames to four, which read as 84-15, 87-1, 53-55, 28-58, 84-54, 51-72, 79-32, 41-68 and 64-28.

Compatriot Merchant found the going easier as the two-time former Asian champion whipped Qatar's Mohsn A. Aziz 5-2 (46-66, 57-34, 60-55, 61-78, 63-22, 68-46 and 108-1).

Meanwhile, hosts Pakistan had a forgettable day at office as only former Pakistan no.1 Khurram Agha made it to the next round while three of their cueists were knocked out in pre quarter-finals.

Besides, India's Alok Kumar and Yasin Merchant, the quarter-final line-up includes Khurram Agha of Pakistan, two Chinese (Liu Chuang and Jin Long), Supoj Saenia of Thailand, UAE's Mohammad Shehab and Singapore's Keith E. Boon.

The best-of-nine frames quarter-finals will be played simultaneously today.

Yasin Merchant will meet China's Liu Chuang who downed Hong Kong's Chan Kwok Ming 5-0 (96-5, 73-28, 83-34, 68-26 and 66-21) while Ashok Kumar is slated to lock horns against arch-rival Khurram Agha in the quarter-finals today.

Today's Quarter/Final fixtures: Liu Chuang (China) vs Yasin Merchant (India); Khurram Agha (Pakistan) vs Alok Kumar (India); Jin Long (China) vs Keith E Boon (Singapore); Supoj Saenia (Thailand) v Mohammad Shehab (UAE), UNI XC SAM BJR RK1155