MANAMA: Pakistan’s rising snooker star Hasnain Akhtar made history by winning the International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World U17 Snooker Championship in Bahrain’s Manama city on Friday.
Hasnain won the final against Wales’ Riley Powell 4-0, becoming the first Pakistani to claim the prestigious title.
The 16-year-old Pakistani cueist produced frame scores of 86-7, 73-35, 50-31 and 98-4, showcasing his class.
Akhtar’s journey through the tournament was marked by consistency, composure, and brilliance on the table. After a 3-1 win over Poland’s Krzysztof Czapnik in the quarterfinals, the young cueist stunned spectators with a flawless 4-0 victory against another Polish opponent, Oliwier Niesłowik, in the semifinals.
His dominant run in the championship has drawn praise from the global snooker community, with many hailing him as one of the brightest young talents in the sport.
The former world amateur champion reached the final with a 4-2 victory over India’s Manan Chandra in the semi-final, held on Thursday.
The championship featured 43 players from 15 nations divided into 11 groups. The top two players from each group were to advance to the knockout last-22 round.
