Muhammad Asif defeats China's Liang in World Games snooker opener

Pakistan’s cueist Muhammad Asif made a winning start to his World Games 2025 snooker campaign on Sunday, defeating China’s Xiaolong Liang 2-0 in his opening group match in Chengdu, China.

The former IBSF World champion secured the first frame 79-50 before sealing victory with a dominant 77-24 win in the second frame. Asif will play Germany’s Alexander Widau in his second Group B match on Monday.

The men’s snooker competition at the World Games features 12 players split into four groups of three, with the top two from each group progressing to the quarter-finals. Snooker, first introduced to the Games in 2001, will see 12 participants vying for the gold medal this year.

Asif qualified for the event after winning the IBSF World Men’s Snooker Championship in Doha last year, defeating Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou 4-3 in the final.

The 36-year-old has been in strong form, having also won the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship in Bahrain last month, where he edged India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 to secure his sixth world title.