CHENGDU; Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif secured a spot in the semi-finals of the World Games snooker event on Tuesday by defeating Britain’s Zac Cosker 2–0 in their quarter-final match. Asif claimed the first frame 79–15 with an impressive break of 51 and sealed the match with an 89–31 victory in the second frame.
A win in the semi-finals will guarantee Asif a medal, while even a loss will allow him to compete for the bronze. Historically, Pakistan has won only one medal at the World Games, a bronze by Shokat Ali in snooker in 2001.
Asif advanced to the quarter-finals after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Germany’s Alexander Vadau on Monday. After losing the first frame 29-43, Asif made a strong comeback with a brilliant 109-point break to win the second frame 116-9, and then clinched the deciding frame 67-32.
Earlier, Asif began his campaign with a solid 2-0 win against China’s Xiaolong Liang in the group stage, winning frames 79-50 and 77-24. The tournament features 12 players split into four groups, with the top two from each group progressing to the quarter-finals.
The World Games 2025 began in Chengdu, China, last Friday, hosting over 4,000 athletes from more than 100 countries competing in 34 sports, including snooker, which was introduced in 2001.
Asif qualified for the World Games by winning the IBSF World Men’s Snooker Championship in Doha last year, defeating Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou 4-3 in the final. He also recently claimed the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship in Bahrain, edging out India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 for his sixth world title.
At 36, Asif continues to shine as one of Pakistan’s top cueists, showcasing consistent form on the global stage.
