World Billiards Team Championship: India B, led by Pankaj Advani, emerge as winners

Pankaj Advani

Glasgow, Aug 15 (IANS): The India B team, comprising Rupesh Shah, Pankaj Advani, Devendra Joshi and Ashok Shandilya won the inaugural World Billiards team championship here Thursday, defeating India A 5-4 in the final.

In a close match, Advani, the multiple World billiards champion, remained unbeaten in all his three matches while Shandilya and Shah claimed one outing apiece to help India B bag the gold.

Advani tweeted about his happiness after the win:

Absolutely elated to win a Gold in the World Team Billiards Championship on Independence Day. Our gift to the nation. pic.twitter.com/y3JLCOnqwY

— Pankaj Advani (@PankajAdvani247) August 15, 2014

Earlier, in the semifinals, India B swept past Ireland 6-0 while India A, consisting of Balachandra Bhaskar, Alok Kumar, Sourav Kothari and Dhruv Sitwala, overcame England 5-1.

The results:

Final: India B beat India A 5-4 (Rupesh Shah lost to Balachandra Bhaskar 160-163; Pankaj Advani bt Alok Kumar 439-193; Devendra Joshi lost to Sourav Kothari 189-271; Advani bt Bhaskar 242-214; Shah lost to Kothari 161-384; Shandilya bt Kumar 442-132; Advani bt Kothari 613-116; Shah bt Kumar 379-90).