“It is all about your own rhythm, your ability and your own hunger which reflects on how you perform.” It is rightly said by Pankaj Advani after he won fourth straight time in the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship and thus he registered his 22nd World title.
The IBSF World Billiards Championship which was earlier known as World Amateur Billiards Championship is the premier international, non-professional tournament for the game of English Billiards. In 2019 it was held in Mandalay, Myanmar in which India’s Pankaj Advani defeated Nay Thway Oo of Myanmar by 6-2.
Pankaj Arjan Advani is an Indian billiards and snooker player who is a 22 time World Champion. He has also achieved hat-tricks of hat-tricks in English billiards, holding the World, Asian, and Indian National Championship titles in 5 years-2005, 2008, 2012, 2017, and now in 2019. Due to his victories and massive achievements, he is also nicknamed as The Prince of India, The Golden Boy and The Prince of Pune. He also won gold medals in the 2006 Doha and 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.
Due to his achievements, he has been awarded with the Arjuna Award in 2004, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2006, Padma Shri in 2009, and Padma Bhushan in 2018 by the Government of India.
On Sunday that is 15th September 2019, he got his 22nd world title for the country. It is said that history repeats itself and Advani proved it with talent by defeating the same opponent that is Nay Thway Oo as he did last year. Pankaj Advani and Nay Thway Oo met in the final 150 up for two consecutive years. Advani defeated him with 6-2 in the final event which is similar to last year’s result. Advani was in full flow and he was after victory just like a hunter. He was leading 3-0 at the halfway mark with the help of fluent breaks comprising of 145, 89 and 127, but Nay was yet to open his record. After pulling one back with breaks of 63 and 62, Nay was forced to watch Advani’s lead and then he also secured next two frames which included a 150 unfinished break. He scored a 74 break and shortly after that closed out the match.
The results were Pankaj Advani defeated May Thway Oo 6-2 150(145)-4, 151(89)-66, 150(127)-50(50), 7-150 (63,62), 151(50)-69(50), 150(150)-0, 133(64)-150(105), 150(74)-75(63).
He called his achievement “extremely special” and also said that, “It’s such a touch-and-go format and so unpredictable that winning this four years on the trot and five out of the last six is extremely special and when asked about his plans of stopping, Advani replied, “Do you want me to?” Talking about his favorite Roger Federer that he has won 20 Grand Slam titles and Advani has won 2 more than him so he said that he would play more world meets than anyone else, thus hinting that he is unstoppable! Also, since returning for national duty from a brief stint in the UK in 2014, every year Advani has brought home a world title in billiards or snooker, or even in both. He has won more world titles in cue sports than anyone in the world making him the greatest cueist of all the time.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated, “Congratulations Pankaj Advani! The entire nation is proud of your accomplishments. Your tenacity is admirable. Best Wishes for your future endeavours.”
Pankaj Advani is still not satisfied as he remarked that, “I am as passionate and hungry as I was as a teenager.” The entire nation is proud of him and wishes that he remains unstoppable and unbeatable always!
