By IANS
New Delhi : India and Pakistan will clash in the fourth edition of the Indo-Pak Peace Cup snooker tournament in New Delhi from December 3 to 7.
The tournament has, however, been advanced by two days to allow the cueists some rest after the ongoing IBSF World snooker championship currently on at Korat, Thailand. The prize money for the Peace Cup has now been set at $2000 for the winners and $1500 for the runners-up.
India is the defending champion having won the tournament in 2005 in Pakistan. The return leg in India got delayed thrice due to various reasons during the past one year.
The five-day tournament will be played at the Siri Fort Sports Complex with three-Test each comprising singles, doubles and reverse singles over best-of-three frames.
The Pakistan team comprises the seasoned Saleh Mohammed, whom Pankaj Advani defeated on way to winning the 2003 World Snooker championship in China. The other team members are all experienced cueists who have done well for Pakistan at the Asian level.
The Indian team is yet to be finalized though top four on the ranking list have been confirmed. Yasin Merchant and Alok Kumar, the brains behind the Peace Cup, will have Rupesh Shah and Manan Chandra for company. The fifth player though would either be Pankaj Advani or Geet Sethi.
Busan Asian Games snooker doubles gold medalist, Rafath Habib is the reserve player.
The Vice-President of the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sport (ACBS), Asghar Ali Walika, who is also the President of the Pakistan federation, will also accompany the Pakistani team and have negotiations with his Indian counterparts for the futures series.
The teams:
India: Yasin Merchant, Alok Kumar, Rupesh Shah, Manan Chandra. Pankaj Advani or Geet Sethi. Reserve: Rafath Habib
Pakistan: Saleh Mohammad, Imran Shehjad, Khurram, Hussein Agha, Navin Kumar Parwani, Shahram Changezi. Mohammad Yusuf (coach), Javed Karim (manager).