Reigning champion Pankaj Advani reaffirmed his status as the king of the CCI Snooker Classic by defeating Kamal Chawla 8-3 in the final of the tournament held in Mumbai. Advani showcased exceptional skill and accuracy on the green baize to retain his crown at the event organized by the Cricket Club of India.
Advani’s dominant performance saw him cruise to victory with a scoreline of 75-12, 1-58, 64-39, 63-29, 7-75, 66-64, 94-5, 0-81, 64-47, 122-8, and 72-9 against a resilient Chawla in the best-of-15-frame final. The event, held at the CCI’s Sir Wilson Jones Billiards Hall, witnessed Advani’s tactical play overpowering Chawla’s challenge as the Bengaluru-based cueist displayed his mastery over the game.
After the match, a humble Advani credited his opponent Kamal Chawla, acknowledging the fantastic snooker played by him throughout the tournament. Advani expressed his joy at defending his title, stating that it is never easy to maintain the championship status as competitors strive to outperform him. Despite facing pressure from younger players in the initial rounds, Advani managed to find his way back and secure his third title at CCI.
Advani’s journey to victory saw him starting strong with a break of 76 in the first frame, followed by a resilient Chawla leveling the scores with a half-century effort. Advani’s fluent play helped him grab the next two frames, but a determined Chawla cut the deficit to 3-2 before the break. However, Advani’s remarkable play after the break proved to be decisive as he sealed the match with impressive clearances and crafty snooker.
In the end, Pankaj Advani emerged as the triumphant champion, defeating Kamal Chawla 8-3 in the final match with a display of skill and precision that reaffirms his status as a snooker maestro at the CCI Snooker Classic.
The final scoreline in the championship match was as follows: Pankaj Advani beat Kamal Chawla 8-3 (75(67)-12, 1-58(50), 64-39, 63-29, 7-75, 66-64, 94(66)-5, 0-81(71), 64-47, 122(122)-8, 72(72)-9).
