In a remarkable day for cue sports in Pakistan, the present and future of the sport in the country flexed their skills to secure twin victories at the 2025 IBSF World Snooker Championships. Muhammad Asif and Hasnain Akhtar raised the country’s flag high in Bahrain, clinching titles in the Masters and U17 categories, respectively.
Veteran campaigner Muhammad Asif, already a multiple-time world amateur champion, proved his enduring class by edging India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 in a tense final to win the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship. The contest ebbed and flowed across seven frames, but it was Asif’s familiarity with pressure situations that sealed the title.
Asif’s road to the crown was nothing short of dominant. He stormed into the semifinals with a comprehensive 4-0 quarterfinal win over Bahrain’s Habib Sabah. In the semis, he overcame a stiff challenge from India’s Manan Chandra with a 4-2 victory, recording authoritative frame scores of 118-6, 92-11, and 87-62, among others.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Hasnain Akhtar made waves in the junior ranks, claiming the IBSF World U17 Snooker Championship title with a flawless 4-0 dismantling of Wales’ Riley Powell in the final.
Hasnain’s performance throughout the tournament was exceptional. He dispatched Poland’s Oliwier Nizialek 4-1 in the semi-final after easing past Mutasim Al Saadi of Oman 3-0 in the quarterfinal, underlining his consistency and flair on the international stage.
The championships, staged at the Crowne Plaza in Manama, Bahrain, featured 43 players from 15 countries in the Masters draw alone, with fierce competition across categories. Yet, it was Pakistan who stole the spotlight with not one, but two titles in a single day, which is a rare and celebrated feat in the nation’s snooker history.
This double success not only underscores the continued rise of Pakistan’s cue sports talent, but also highlights the strength of Pakistan’s developmental pipeline, even as the sport continues to battle for greater visibility and institutional support at home.
With these titles, Pakistan adds to its growing legacy in international snooker and sends a reminder that even in less-publicized sports, national pride finds powerful expression.
