Sri Lanka to host 3rd SAARC Championship at Moors SC
All arrangements have been finalised by the Billiards and Snookers Association of Sri Lanka (BSASL) to conduct the SAARC Snooker Championship from January 7 to 12 at the Moors Sports Club billiards table in Colombo.
The tournament, organised by the South Asian Cue Sports Association, is the third in the series and will see 14 cueists from six nations vying for the late M.J.M. Lafir Memorial Trophy on offer. The two previous tournaments were hosted by Bangladesh with the first in 2019. It was won by Asjad Iqbal of Pakistan when he defeated compatriot Mohammad Bilaal. The second edition was held in 2022 and Ishpreet Singh Chadha of India won the title defeating compatriot Brijesh Damani.
Sri Lanka’s four cueists -- (from left) Susantha Boteju, Irshath Thaha, Murugesu Prathap, Mohamed Musharaf
Malship Group, along with Pyramid Wilmar, Olanda Villas, National Olympic Committee, Automobile Association and Crown Billiard International have joined hands as sponsors to make this event successful.
The 3rd regional snooker competition is a testament to the enduring legacy of M.J.M. Lafir and the respect he commands in the sporting community. As Sri Lanka celebrates the 52nd anniversary of his world championship triumph, Lafir’s story serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through passion, perseverance, and an unwavering dedication to excellence which is a source of immense pride for Sri Lanka, embodying the spirit of determination and his name remains etched in the hearts of cue sports enthusiasts as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest sporting icons.
The tournament will see a participation of 14 cueists with four from Sri Lanka and two each from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal. Representing Sri Lanka are four cueists with experienced Susantha Boteju, who has won 19 national snooker titles, coming in as a favourite. Irshath Thaha, the reigning national billiard, 6 Red Ball snooker and national snooker champion of Sri Lanka, will be one of the contenders besides Murugesu Prathap and Mohamed Musharaf.
Pakistan possess a strong duet in three-time world snooker champion Mohammad Asif, who is also the reigning world champion at the last event held in Qatar, and Naseem Akhta. India will have Saurav Kothari and Paras Gupta while Bangladesh will be represented by Ahmed Nizam Uddin and Asif Imran. Afghanistan will have their top duo Salih Mohammad and Mohammad Rahim representing at the regional event, with Nepal’s Ayush Gautam and Ankit Man Shrestha completing the lineup of 14 cueists in contention.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Moors Sports Club billiards parlour at Braybrooke Place on January 7 at 9:00am while the closing ceremony will be held on January 10 at 5:00pm.
M.J.M. Lafir: Sri Lanka’s Legendary Cue Sports Champion
The late Mohammad Junaid Mohammed Lafir, well known as M.J.M. Lafir, occupies a legendary place in Sri Lanka’s sporting history. Renowned as the nation’s first-ever world champion in any sport, Lafir’s achievements in cue sports transcended boundaries and earned him a permanent place in the annals of Sri Lankan and global sports history. His victory at the World Amateur Billiards Championship in 1973 was a landmark moment, not just for Lafir but for a country yearning for international recognition in sports.