India rout Pakistan in semis

India's Pankaj Advani was happy with the fantastic result against Pakistan.

India and Iran will face-off in the final of the Asian Snooker Teams Championship on Thursday.
India's Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta thumped Pakistan's Muhammad Asif and Asjad Iqbal 3-0 (73-16, 83-25 and 92-8) in the Asian Snooker Teams Championship at Novotel Al Bustan Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
And in another semis, Iran's Amir Sarkhosh and Soheil Vahedi survived against the Malaysian duo of Keen Hoo Moh and Kok Leong Lim 3-0 (72-12, 70-41 and 64-39). World number 1 in 6-Red snooker Advani was happy with the 'fantastic result' and that too 'coming against Pakistan'.
"I am really happy as both of us contributed equally. It started off with Aditya's frame that helped me to play my natural game. The overall approach for this match was to play offensive. Fortunately we got the best chances to finish the game. Considering this result came in a team event, this is a fantastic result," he told Khaleej Times.
Asked about the opponents - Pakistan, he said: "They are lovely guys. We are good friends off the table. But in India-Pakistan semifinals, you want to be on the winning side of the table."
 About the final, he said: "We just need to enjoy the game and believe in ourselves."
 Aditya Mehta felt the game looked an easy win as they had executed their plans 'perfectly'.
 "Their strength is long potting and our focus is on safety. We had a safe approach and made them take risk. Pankaj forced them to make mistakes. We made them try balls they don't want to and that's was their undoing."
 Muhammad Asif said that Indians are the favourites to win the final. "They were the better side today. Their team combination is very good and they can get the better off Iran in the finals."
 Earlier in the quarterfinals, the Indian duo ended the UAE challenge by beating the team of Mohamed Shehab and Mohammed Al Joaker 3-0 (88-15, 67-19 and 52-21). Shehab said it was 'tough luck and a bad draw'.
 "We didn't want to face the Indian team in the first match of knock-out. It didn't go well for me or Joaker," he added.
 In another quarters, it was Pakistan versus Pakistan. In a tight match, Asif and Iqbal prevailed over Mohammad Bilal and Babar Masih by 3-2 margin.
 Malaysia's Moh and Lim thumped Iranian pair of Hamed Zarehdoust and Saeed Abooyesani 3-1. However, Sarkhosh and Vahedi had held their nerves to win 3-2 against Thai team of Yuttapop Pakpoj and Ratchayothin Yotharuck, thereby ensuring an Iranian representation in the semis.
 And now the Iranians face the Indian pair in the final on Thursday. "We came through a tight match. The final is going to be a tough match - two Indian professionals against two semi-professionals," Vahedi said after beating Malaysia.