New Delhi [India], October 29 (ANI): Shoaib Khan completed a masterclass double crown by capturing the prestigious 15-Red Snooker title at the 49th Delhi State Championship (in memory of Raja Randhir Singh, former IOA President), adding to the 6-Red trophy already in his cabinet.
In a high-octane, nerve-shredding final, Shoiab edged past a tenacious Divyanshu Sharma 4-2 in a contest that was less a match and more a tactical battle of wits. The summit clash unfolded as a masterclass in safety play, with many intricate snookers per frame and laying down an eye-opening blueprint for young players and coaches alike.
For the mentors on the sidelines, the final offered a stern reminder: when pupils fail to decode tight snookers, tactical advantage vanishes into thin air. The high-pressure duel saw repeated exchanges where players were left completely snookered, triggering the 'foul and a miss' rule multiple times and forcing the referee to restore the cue ball to its original spot. Ultimately, it was Shoiab's cool head and tactical steel that tipped the scales when the pressure was at its peak.
With this summit clash behind them, both finalists, Shoiab Khan and Divyanshu Sharma, will now represent Delhi in the upcoming National Snooker Championship in Bangalore.
Adding to the excitement, the Delhi Billiards & Snooker Association (DBSA) announced that as part of its golden jubilee celebrations next year, marking 50 years of the association, it has instituted an enhanced total prize purse of Rs 5 lakh for the next state tournament.
*Path to the Final
In the first Semi-Final, Shoaib Khan outplayed former state champion Anuj Uppal with a clinical 4-1 victory.
And in the Second Semi-Final, Divyanshu Sharma held his nerve to defeat Lalit Dahiya 4-2. The scores were:-
Semi-Final 1: Shoaib Khan def. Anuj Uppal: 4-1 (79-13, 41-60, 76-30, 85-09, 62-25)
Semi-Final 2: Divyanshu Sharma def. Lalit Dahiya: 4-2 (64-37, 35-61, 76-19, 48-72, 60-16, 65-40)
Final: Shoaib Khan def. Divyanshu Sharma: 4-2 (44-56, 78-16, 15-68, 84-60, 87-20, 76-57). (ANI)
Double Crown for Shoaib Khan at 49th Delhi State 15-Red Snooker Championship
