Advani powers past hapless Batdelger

Advani, yet to lay his hands on the continental title despite seven World Championships, oozed confidence, posting a break of 119 in the second frame as he coasted home to a 86-22, 119 (119)-8, 75-51, 64-21 win in the Group B encounter.

However, it wasn’t a great day for other home cueists in the fray with Manan Chandra, IH Manudev, Kamal Chawla and Lucky Vatnani suffering their first losses.

Only young Aditya Mehta managed to bring some cheer, blazing past Japan’s Satoshi Nakamura 4-0 (84-0, 97(80)-56, 79-14, 65-22) for his second straight win in Group H.
Chandra lost to Pakistan’s Shahid Aftab 2-4, Manudev was defeated 4-1 by Thailand’s Noppadol Sangnil, Chawla went down 1-4 to Passakorn Suwannawat and Vatnani, despite a 116 break in the fifth frame, was beaten 4-2 by Tian Pengfei of China.
Also in Advani’s Group B, Singapore’s Lim Chun Kiat defeated Yuttapop Pakpoj 4-2.
Results: Group A: Mohd Sajjad (Pak) bt Ali Mohsen Khamis (Qat) 4-2 (24-67, 50-59, 67-17, 94-31, 86-04, 73-25); Mohammad Al Joaker (UAE) bt Ahmed Hassan Hadi 4-0 (62-16, 69-23, 63-55, 74-31).

Group B:Pankaj Advani (Ind) bt Sergelan Batdelger (Mon) 4-0 (86-22, 119 (119)-8, 75-51, 64-21); Lim Chun Kiat (Sin) bt Yuttapop Pakpoj (Tha) 4-2 (30-82, 69-70, 62-07, 49-12, 47-22, 63-20).

Group C: Shahid Aftab (Pak) bt Manan Chandra (Ind) 4-2 (85-15, 67-34, 58-37, 36-64, 34-57, 57-38); Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Ira) bt Mohammed Al Sheikh (Bah) 4-3 (44-50, 61-16, 23-73, 64-15, 31-69, 69-31, 93-7).
Group D: Jin Long (Chn) bt Yaqoub SM Al Enezi (Kuw) 4-2 (56-68, 62-69, 59-18, 58-20, 65-54, 57-34); Fung Kwok Wai (HK) bt Saleh Mohammad (Afg) 4-0 (65-1, 65-46, 99-46, 67-0).
Group E: Lau Ka Lam (HK) bt Karam Fatima (Syr) 4-3 (81-16, 45-63, 1-127(115), 54-14, 69-32, 27-69, 66-11); Noppadol Sangnil (Tha) bt IH Manudev (Ind) 4-1 (78-0, 40-75, 78-9, 63-23, 70-1).
Group F: Passakorn Suwannawat (Tha) bt Michael Angelo Mengorio (Phi) 4-1 (60-15, 72-43, 31-63, 64-6, 84(56)-51); Imran Shahzad (Pak) bt Mubark Kh Al Owais (Kuw) 4-1 (56-23, 74-8, 68-16, 46-59, 53-35); Passakorn Suwannawat (Tha) bt Kamal Chawla (Ind) 4-1 (81 (81)-11, 0-59, 91-0, 61-1, 111(111)-0).
Group G: Omar Alkojah (Syr) bt Danny Lam Tuck Weng (Sin) 4-1 (73-26, 25-68, 59-48, 83-22, 57-26); Tian Pengfei (Chn) bt Lucky Vatnani (Ind) 4-2 (55-63, 63-23, 74-49, 74-56, 1-116(116), 66-0).
Group H: Aditya Mehta (Ind) bt Satoshi Nakamura (Jap) 4-0 (84-0, 97(80)-56, 79-14, 65-22); Mohd Shehab (UAE) bt Alvin Ambatali Barbero (Phi) 4-0 (79(79)-0, 67-56, 58-1, 86-1).