Mumbai, May 10 — Snooker maestro Pankaj Advani and defending champion Ishpreet Singh Chadha are set to clash in the final of the NSCI Baulkline Snooker tournament after registering contrasting victories in their respective semifinal matches on Saturday.
The upcoming final will be a repeat of last year’s summit clash, promising another thrilling showdown between two of India’s top cueists.
Advani Cruises Past Himanshu Jain
Advani delivered a commanding performance against Himanshu Jain, registering an 8-2 win in a largely one-sided affair. The 25-time world champion dazzled with three century-plus breaks, including runs of 120, 135, and 112, leaving little room for a comeback by Jain, who managed to pocket only two frames.Scoreline:
69-15, 73-71, 121(120)-0, 74-26, 24-71, 72(50)-5, 135(135)-7, 37-70, 134(112)-20, 60-18.
Chadha Edges Past Aditya Mehta in Tight Contest
In contrast, Ishpreet Singh Chadha was made to sweat for his spot in the final. After establishing a dominant 7-2 lead, he faced a strong resurgence from Aditya Mehta, who claimed four consecutive frames to narrow the gap to 7-6. However, Chadha held his nerve to win the 14th and final frame, clinching the match 8-6.Scoreline:
86-37, 65-39, 59-60, 97-32, 58-60, 76-55, 78-14, 88-31, 83-27, 1-88, 23-97, 0-63, 0-71, 63-61.
The final between Advani and Chadha is expected to be a high-octane encounter, with both players displaying excellent form and tactical finesse throughout the tournament.