Kolkata: World Masters Snooker and 9-Ball Pool Champion Dharminder Lilly and his amateur partner Sunil Saraogi pulled off a huge upset beating sixteen-time world champion Pankaj Advani and his teammate Rajesh Tulsian 3-2 in the semi-finals of the Kolkata Open Pro-Am tournament on Thursday.
Second Seeds Aditya Mehta and his partner Ravi Goenka (Bazaar Kolkata) stormed into the finals by putting up a flawless performance to beat Third Seeded Faisal Khan and Shreevardhan Poddar of Subir Udyog 3-0. Aditya played the role of Senior Pro to perfection, guiding his partner Ravi to up his game at the right juncture.
Though Pankaj Advani-Rajesh Tulsian (Team Shree Cement) duo were seeded first, it was the fourth seed duo of Dharminder Lilly and Sunil Saraogi (Team Natural Products) who drew first blood, winning the first game 61-47.
Pankaj was in his elements in the next two games, comfortably winning them 19-63 and 20-62. Dharminder-Sunil pulled off another winner in the fourth game, winning 68-47 and leaving the game tantalizingly poised 2-2. With the packed hall sitting on edge, it was down to the wire, as both the pros dug deep into their experience. In the end, it was just not Pankaj’s day as Dharminder Lilly and Sunil Saraogi prevailed 50-41 in the decider.
SEMI-FINALS SCORES
Dharminder Lilly & Sunil Saraogi (Natural Products) beat Pankaj Advani & Rajesh Tulsian (Shree Cement) :: 3-2 ::
(61-47, 19-63, 20-62, 68-47, 50-41)
Aditya Mehta & Ravi Goenka (Baazar Kolkata) beat Faisal Khan & Shreevardhan Poddar (TVS – Subir Udyog Ltd.) :: 3-0 :: (55-48, 69-39, 76-41)
QUARTER FINALS SCORES
Pankaj Advani & Rajesh Tulsian (Shree Cement) beat Shahbaaz Adil Khan & Mudit Poddar (MP Portfolio) :: 3-2 :: (123(93)-07, 77-26, 29-53, 13-88, 72-26)
Dharminder Lilly & Sunil Saraogi (Natural Products) beat Brijesh Damani & Rajeev Jhunjhunwala (Kalawati) :: 3-2 :: (66-19, 53-74, 86-30, 46-58, 64-41)
Faisal Khan & Shreevardhan Poddar (TVS – Subir Udyog Ltd.) beat Kamal Chawla & Piyush Bhagat (Space Group) :: 3-1 ::
(76-59, 65-28, 18-61, 75-72)
Aditya Mehta & Ravi Goenka (Baazar Kolkata) beat Lucky Vatnani & Chetan Mehta (Gloster Limited).
PTI