Pakistan’s Ahsan Ramzan won the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World (Men) Snooker Championship 2021 after overcoming Iran’s Amir Sarkosh 6-5 in the final on Friday.

Ahsan, 16, made it to the final in Doha after defeating fellow cueist and defending champion Mohammad Asif 5-4 in a thrilling contest in the last-four.

The Pakistani prodigy had earlier made an impressive debut, defeating India’s Digvijay Kadian 3-1 at the five-day championship.

Ahsan is the youngest, and third Pakistani cueist after Muhammad Yousaf and Mohammad Asif, to win this laurel for Pakistan. Asif is the only cueist to have won this title twice.

Ahsan, who has U16, U17, and U18 titles under his belt, won nine frames and lost only two as he made his way through the group stages.

He defeated Sri Lanka’s Al Fahim Kamaldeen and Russia’s Kirill Zhizduk in Group C clashes.

This was also the first occasion that all three Pakistani cueist had qualified for the semi-finals with Iran’s Sarkosh completing the last-four lineup.

Ahsan beat Asif in the first semi-final, while Sarkosh beat Pakistani Muhammad Sajjad in the other last-four match.

The Lahore-born cueist also had a brilliant run in the IBSF U19 World Championship that concluded on March 5 in Doha.

Ahsan reached the quarters and received a cash prize of Qatari Riyal 10,000 from the President of Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports Mr Mohamed Salem Al-Nuaimi for registering a break of 147 in the quarter-final, which he lost 5-2.

The 16-year-old will now represent Pakistan in the 37th Asian Men Championship 2022 in Doha from March 12 to 16.

This story was first published in Business recorder on March 11, 2022.