Pakistan's snooker champion Mohammad Bilal dies of cardiac arrest

By
Faizan Lakhani
Mohammad Bilal plays a shot in snooker. — Provided by author
Mohammad Bilal plays a shot in snooker. — Provided by author 

Pakistani snooker champion Mohammad Bilal passed away due to cardiac arrest, Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Federation (PBSF) confirmed on Saturday.

Bilal, 38, was a Asian Tour 10 Reds champion and also the winner at International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Team Cup in 2019.

"We are saddened on the passing away of Bilal," PBSF's chairman Alamgir Khan mourned the loss of the talented snooker player in a statement issued to announce the demise.

"He served Pakistan with pride and honour and won many titles for the country. In this tough time, we are standing with his family," he added.

Bilal's last rites will be offered today after the Zuhr prayer in his ancestral land Mandi Bahauddin.

The snooker player alongside his compatriot Asjad Iqbal won IBSF World Team Cup in Doha, Qatar in 2018. In the same year, he won Snooker 10 Reds event during ACBS Asian Tour.

In 2019, he won a silver medal in SAARC Snooker Championship in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

He also won the National championship twice in 2016 and 2019 respectively.

Achievements in Domestic Snooker Championship

2016: Winner of Jubilee Insurance 41st National Snooker Championship, runners up of 8th NBP Ranking Snooker Championship.

2018: Runner up of Jubilee Insurance 43rd National Snooker Championship.

2019: Winner of Jubilee Insurance 44th National Snooker Championship, semi-finalist of Jubilee Insurance Ranking Snooker Championship.

2020: Pre-quarter finalist of Jubilee Insurance 45th National Snooker Championship, semi-finalist of 12th NBP Ranking Snooker Championship.

Achievements in International Snooker Championship

2016: Semi-finalist in Snooker Six Red Event (Bronze Medal) of first Asian Billiard Sports Championship in Al-Fujairah, UAE

2017: Semi-finalist (Bronze Medal) in 33rd Asian Snooker Championship in Doha, Qatar, semi-finalist in Snooker Six Red Event (Bronze Medal) in 5th Asian Team & 6th Six Red Snooker Championships in Kyrgyzstan, runner up in Snooker Team Event (Silver Medal) in 5th Asian Team & 6th Six Red Snooker Championship in Kyrgyzstan.

2018: Semi-finalist (Bronze Medal) in 34th Asian Snooker Championship in Tabriz, Iran, runner up in Snooker Team Event (Silver Medal) 6th Asian Team & 7th Six Red Snooker Championships in Doha, Qatar, runner up in Snooker Six Red Event (Silver Medal) in 6th Asian Team & 7th Six Red Snooker Championships in Doha, Qatar, winner in Snooker 10 Red Event (Gold Medal) in 1st IBSF – ACBS Asian Tour in Doha, Qatar, semi finalist in Snooker 10 Red Event (Bronze Medal) in 2nd IBSF – ACBS Asian Tour in Jinan, China.

2019: Semi-finalist in Snooker Six Red Event (Bronze Medal) in 1st Qatar 6 Red World Cup in Doha, Qatar, winner (Gold Medal) in IBSF World Team Cup in Doha, Qatar, runner up (Silver Medal) in SAARC Snooker Championship in Dhaka, Bangladesh