Pankaj Advani

Thirty nine-year-old Advani secured his 28th world title during the IBSG World Billiards Championship in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday

Defending champion Pankaj Advani will be aiming to maintain his winning streak at the upcoming CCI Billiards Classic starting here on Tuesday. Winner of 27 World Championship titles, Advani has displayed far superior skills compared to his rivals as he secured three back to back titles at various CCI events in the past year and half. Bagging the CCI Classic Snooker title in January 2023 and having defended it successfully recently, he is eyeing another conquest in the upcoming tournament. However, top Indian cuesists like national champion Dhruv Sitwala, runner-up Sourav Kothari and Maharashtra No. 1 Mahesh Jagdale will pose a tough challenge to Advani. The field also comprises international players like multiple world champion Peter Gilchrist of Singapore and Englishmen David Causier, Peter Sheehan, Chris Taylor, and last year's runner-up Rob Hall. Former world champions like Rupesh Shah, Ashok Shandilya, and Devendra Joshi will also be vying for the title. The competition has a

Advani began on a strong note by pocketing the first two games, 150 points against 33 and 150 against 95