Pakistan’s Ahsan lifts Asian U-21 snooker title in Doha

DOHA (Agencies): Ahsan Ramzan held his nerve in a dramatic, error-strewn final to defeat Iran’s Shahin Sabzi and claim the Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship on Friday, sealing the title on the pink ball in a tense fifth-frame. The triumph, built on steely resolve more than fluent scoring, capped a marathon day for the 2025 bronze medallist, who had earlier edged compatriot Mohammad Hasnain Akhtar 4-3 in a semi-final featuring a tournament-high break of 118. The final was a battle of attrition from the outset. Ahsan — who won the World Amateur Snooker title in 2022 — scraped through a messy opening frame 79-30, needing a brilliant clearance after Sabzi, who had led by 26 points, missed multiple chances to close it out. Sabzi levelled the match by taking the second frame with a break of 57, capitalising on Ahsan’s frustration after a missed straight-forward shot. The 20-year-old Ahsan responded emphatically in the third. A clinical 65 break followed by a sublime 54 clearance restored his lead at 2-1.

The fourth frame encapsulated the entire match’s tension. Sabzi, trailing throughout, staged a gritty comeback from the colours, only to miss a simple green with the frame at his mercy. After both players traded further misses, Ahsan eventually potted blue and pink to move within one frame of the title at 3-1. With the title in sight, the decisive fifth frame became a nerve-wracking safety battle. Sabzi started strong but was repeatedly wasteful, while Ahsan capitalised on a fluked pink to establish a lead. With only the colours remaining, the ghost of the previous frame returned. After both players missed the brown, Sabzi made the final error, leaving Ahsan to pot the pink and seal the championship. A relieved fist pump followed before he calmly completed the clearance. The triumph marks a successful upgrade for Ahsan, who won bronze at the 2025 edition. The Pakistani junior team, featuring Ahsan, Hasnain, and the senior duo of Mohammad Asif and Rana Irfan, arrived home on Saturday.