Ace cueist Pankaj Advani closed in on defending his 6-red snooker title as he earned a berth in the knockout draw, winning three group games on the trot at the Asian 6-Red Snooker and Team Championships here.
The 16-time world champion Advani overcome a challenge from Thailand's Phaithoon Phonbun with a comfortable 5-2 win, before seeing off Ali Roshanikiya of Iran 5-3.
Advani though found himself in a spot of bother at 1-3 against Omar Ali of Iraq but he made one of his famous comebacks by procuring the next four frames to storm into the last-16 stage, which commences tomorrow.
The other Indians in the fray had mixed outing with Faisal Khan, Pushpender Singh and Kamal Chawla -- all on one win and one loss so far.
Their fates for qualifying to the knockout stages hang in the balance and will be determined by their remaining league matches.
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