Rishabh advances

Former senior state champion Rishabh Pandya survived a tantalizing finish to lead CCI 'Rockets' into the quarter-finals of the World Zoroastrian Organization Trust Mumbai Snooker League, organised by the Billiards & Snooker Association of Maharashtra and hosted by Dadar Parsee Colony Gymkhana.

With India junior No. 2 and senior No. 5 Himanshu Jain giving 'Rockets' a 1-0 lead, Pandya faced Aditya Agrawal of Bombay Gymkhana 'Spankers' in the second tie that ended in an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Agrawal led 71-62 needing only the pink to win and draw level. But to his dismay, he endured back-to-back in-offs on the colour that offered Pandya 12 crucial points and a 74-71 lead. Let off the hook, Pandya finally potted the pink to win the tie 80-71, leaving Agrawal to ponder what might have been.

Nishant Dossa and Raj Khandwala beat Marzdi Kalyaniwala and Zareer Shroff in the following doubles tie to seal the issue 3-0.

In another thrilling pre-quarter-final, Khar Gymkhana 'Jaws' who shocked defending champions PJ Hindu Gymkhana 'Hustlers' in the previous round, survived a scare after leading 2-0 against Matunga Gymkhana 'Maltese Monks'. 'Monks' won the third doubles' tie to make it 1-2 but it was Ankit Thakkar who shocked the formidable Faisal Khan 102-98 in a black-ball finish, in a nail-biting fourth tie that saw a scintillating display of snooker by both cueists. But Pawan Kohli halted the 'Monks' with a win over Poras Shah to snatch the contest for the 'Jaws'.

Results (PQF): Khar Gymkhana 'Jaws' bt Matunga Gymkhana 'Maltese Monks' 3-2; CCI 'Rockets' bt Bombay Gymhana 'Spankers' 3-0; JVPG 'Tigers bt MIG 'Feathers' 3-2; Pre-PQF: Khar Gymkhana 'Jaws' bt PJ Hindu Gymkhana 'Hustlers' 3-1; MIG 'Feathers' bt Wodehouse Gymkhana 'Woody Woodpeckers' 3-1.

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