In the all Indian final of the 19th Asian 100 UP Billiards Championship 2022 organised and conducted by Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS) that concluded at Doha, Qatar, Pankaj Advani of PSPB won Dhruv Sitwala of PSPB 6-2. This is Pankaj’s 24th International title and the 9th Asian title.
Dhruv played yellow and Pankaj White. Pankaj went out of position when he was at 81 and played a screw back to get a cannon from white to red for recovery. White got potted and Pankaj finished the frame with red leading 1-0. Pankaj followed with a smooth century break to put the lead to 2-0. Third frame started off with a strong defence. and Dhruv went out off position at 11. Pankaj tried a cannon and white got potted at 32. Dhruv had all the 3 balls almost on a straight line close to the cushion with the white hanging near the left pocket of the bottom cushion. He tried a complex cannon and left a position. Pankaj took the lead to 84-14. Dhruv went out of position at 29 and Pankaj resorted to white pot with rest at 87 and positioned it well for a red in-off the spot to put the lead at 3-0.
Dhruv’s drag pot in response to Pankaj’s opening defense left the red in an in-off position for Pankaj in the bottom left pocket and Pankaj capitalised on it. However at 15, Pankaj missed a red pot leaving a plum position for Dhruv. Dhruv missed cannon with the red on a one cushion drop cannon giving Pankaj position at 15-18. Pankaj went out of position at 44-18. Dhruv made an 82 break to put the frame score at 1-3.
Dhruv missed a red in-off in the centre pot at 26. Pankaj executed a pot cum red in-off followed by one cushion drop cannon and went out of position soon at 10. Dhruv patiently moved his score to 90. With the option to go for a red pot with the cue ball close to the cushion, Dhruv attempted a red in-off to the centre pot and missed because of a thick contact. Pankaj punished Dhruv commencing his break with a drop cannon to put the scoreboard at 4-1 in his favor.
Dhruv potting red and wanting to position for red spot in-off from the top pocket found his cue ball behind the jaw with both red and white not visible directly. While trying to play off the bottom cushion, made a foul with Pankaj getting spot. Pankaj missed a red pot at 69 in the 6th frame having started off well when Dhruv. Dhruv again lost position and Pankaj finished the 6th frame with ease putting the scoreboard at 5-1.
Pankaj’s experiment for a 2 cushion cannon at 24 instead of a long red in-off to top right pocket gave an opening to Dhruv. Dhruv came short for the red pot in-off to the top right pocket and missed leaving Pankaj to pot white and double baulk with the score at 40-24 favouring Dhruv. A very nice long red pot got Pankaj to 54 and build his lead with red since the Yellow was behind the baulk line. But Pankaj’s touch red pot to centre pot hung in the mouth and his cue ball came in line between Dhruv’s cue ball and the red. Dhruv tried a follow cannon and missed leaving a comfortable position to Pankaj. Pankaj at 84 tried a top cushion cannon and missed. Dhruv converted the opportunity and finished with a thin white pot to move the scoreboard to 5-2.
Pankaj’s red in-off to the bottom right pot caught the object ball too thick leaving the red close to top cushion almost behind the red spot. Pankaj’s played defense at 5. Dhruv took a risky cannon and build an excellent break of 78 and missed a cannon in the top table. Pankaj’s sheer experience of playing finals helped him refocus to make the 95 unfinished break to win the frame and the match 6-2.
