Bengaluru, Nov 28: China’s 14-year-old Yan Bingtao today scripted a sensational upset when he sent Indian ace Pankaj Advani packing with a 6-4 victory in the quarter-finals before winning his semi-final game at the Seaways IBSF World Snooker Championship, here today.
Bingtao will face Pakistan’s Mohammed Sajjad in the summit clash. While Bingtao beat Kristanut Lertsattayathorn of Thailand by 7-5 frames, Sajjad easily got past Zhao Xintong by 7-3 frames to stop the grand finale being an all-Chinese affair.
On the day at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Advani, who has 12 world titles across all formats till date, could not concentrate on his game and did not play big points as the Chinese schoolboy.
Pankaj started his quarterfinal tie in a disappointing way, losing the first frame 38-63 and the next 47-75. Pankaj had 44 break points but Bingtao’s 57 helped the Chinese to clinch the second frame.
There was something to cheer for the Indian fans when Pankaj convincgly pocketed next three frames 107-0, 68-10 and 60-16, thus taking 3-2 lead.
Just when the star Indian cueist needed another frame in the grabs to get a firm hold, he lost the plot and conceded the sixth frame quite easily to Bingtao 4-83 as the Chinese exhibited incredible temperament on the green baize to level the proceedings at 3-3 each.
Advani then prevailed over the Chinese in the seventh frame by beating him with 89-24 margin with 79 break points, taking a crucial 4-3 lead.
The Indian however could not capitalise on the lead and lost next three frames 40-67, 26-71 and 40-59, thus conceding the rubber to Bingtao.
“There was too much of disturbance and I was not able to concentrate. I also did not play well. Bingtao too did not play any great snooker but I am not taking anything from him. It is just that he played the big points well while I did not. That made the difference,” Advani told reporters after his defeat. (PTI)
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