Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif has reached the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar, overcoming Cyprus player Michael Georgiou 5-3 in a hard-fought semifinal on Tuesday.
Asif, a two-time world champion, initially fell behind, losing the first two frames to Georgiou. However, he staged an impressive comeback, winning four consecutive frames with scores of 53-57, 5-71, 94-0, 111-6, 77-45, 73-9, 24-74, and ultimately closing the match at 58-51. His performance featured a century break in the fourth frame—his fifth in the tournament.
While Georgiou took the early lead, Asif’s determined return shifted the momentum. His solid play in the fifth and eighth frames was particularly crucial, applying pressure that Georgiou struggled to counter.
This final appearance will be Asif’s third at the IBSF World Championship, having previously secured titles in 2012 and 2019. He now joins a select group of players who have reached three or more finals. India’s Pankaj Advani tops this elite group with four finals and three titles, while Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh has also appeared three times, though without a title.
Asif’s remarkable performance has renewed hopes in Pakistan for a fifth world title—a trophy he has already won twice. Other world champions from Pakistan include Mohammad Yousaf and Ahsan Ramzan.
A win in the final would further solidify Asif’s legacy as one of Pakistan’s most celebrated snooker champions.
