Shoaib Khan Wins Delhi State 15-Red Snooker Title
Shoaib Khan captured the 15-Red Snooker title at the 49th Delhi State Championship with a 4-2 victory over Divyanshu Sharma, securing a double crown after earlier winning the 6-Red event, according to The News Mill.
How Khan Navigated the Final and Semifinal Clashes
The championship match in New Delhi featured intense tactical play, safety exchanges, and intricate snookers in every frame. Both players attempted to restrict scoring opportunities, turning the final into a test of patience. The referee invoked the ‘foul and a miss’ rule multiple times, requiring the cue ball to be repositioned. Khan established control after losing the first frame, taking the next two, dropping a third, and then closing out the match with scores of 44-56, 78-16, 15-68, 84-60, 87-20, and 76-57.
Khan advanced to the final by defeating former state champion Anuj Uppal 4-1 in the first semifinal. Uppal fell in frames with scores of 79-13, 41-60, 76-30, 85-09, and 62-25. On the other side of the draw, Sharma secured his place in the title match by overcoming Lalit Dahiya 4-2 in the second semifinal, posting frame scores of 64-37, 35-61, 76-19, 48-72, 60-16, and 65-40.
Context and Next Steps for Delhi Competitors
The tournament was held in memory of Raja Randhir Singh, the former president of the Indian Olympic Association. Following their performances in the state capital, both Khan and Sharma will represent Delhi at the upcoming National Snooker Championship in Bengaluru.
To mark its golden jubilee celebrating 50 years of operation, the Delhi Billiards & Snooker Association (DBSA) announced that its next state tournament will feature an increased total prize purse of Rs 5 lakh.