Wednesday, May 01, 2024 | Last Update : 08:48 AM IST
Abhimanyu Gandhi powers Rockets
Otters Club cueist constructs breaks of 71 and 48 in winning both his frames to power his team into quarters.
Otters Club’s cueist Abhimanyu Gandhi was in great nick and constructed breaks of 71 and 48 in winning both his frames which powered Otters ‘Rockets’ to a 3-1 victory over Hindu Gymkhana’s team PJHG ‘Action Jackson’ in the best-of-five frame pre-quarter-final encounter of the Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League at the Otters Club billiards room.
The dapper Gandhi (+15 handicap) took optimum advantage of the home conditions and quickly got into his stride as he neatly constructed a 71 run to knock the fight out of Aditya Shandilya (+50) racing to a 128-57 in the opening frame. But, Gandhi’s teammate Rishabh Thakkar (+20) lost the second to Jignesh Thakkar (+50) 59-88.
Otters Club’s pair of Nabil Lakdawala and Zenul Arsiwala (+18) continued with their impressive run defeating the Hindu Gymkhana duo of Uday Shah and Variksh Mehta (+33) 66-62 to regain their lead. Gandhi continued the good work and did not provide Hindu Gymkhana’s Thakkar (+50) too many opportunities as he waltzed to a 112-50 win in the fourth frame and completed Otters’ success and a place in the quarter-finals.
Having emerged champions in the last two years, Otters Rockets are now three wins away from completing a hat-trick of title triumphs.
Meanwhile, Cricket Club of India team CCI ‘ Royal Strikers’ rode on the brilliance of Shahbaz Khan, who won both his frames to overcome Khar Gymkhana’s side KG ‘Vanar Sena’ 3-1 in a round of 32 encounter.
Results - Pre-quarter-finals: Otters ‘Rockets’ beat PJHG ‘Action Jackson’ 3-1 (Abhimanyu Gandhi (+15) beat Aditya Shandilya (+50) 128(71)-57; Rishabh Thakkar (+20) lost Jignesh Thakkar (+50) 59-88; Nabil Lakdawala/ Zenul Arsiwala (+18) beat Uday Shah/ Variksh Mehta (+33) 66-62; Abhimanyu Gandhi (+15) beat Jignesh T +50 112(48)-50).
Round 32: CCI ‘Royal Strikers’ beat KG ‘Vanar Sena’ 3-1 (Nishant Dossa/ Kanishk Jhanjharia (+18) beat Krish Shetty/ Sagar Kanjani (+30) 67-49; Shahbaz Khan (+15) beat Sahil Kakkad (+50) 110-81; Rahul Sachdev (SCR) lost Hamehr Mago (+25) 22-81; Shahbaz Khan (+15) beat Sagar Kanjabi (+45) 98-84)4.
