Ahsan Ramzan wants Pakistanis to treat cueists with respect like cricketers

KARACHI: Pakistan’s snooker prodigy, 16-year-old Ahsan Ramzan, wants the government and society to treat cueists as importantly as cricketers in the country.

Ahsan became the third Pakistani to win the IBSF world snooker championship on Friday when he defeated Iran’s Amir Sarkosh in a nerve-testing final. This is overall the country’s 4th IBSF title as Mohammad Asif had won the title twice.

Soon after his victory, Ahsan said that words are not enough to express his feelings after becoming the world champion at the age of 16.

“I can’t ask for more at this age. I can’t express my feelings in words. The feeling of being a world champion is something that only a sportsperson can feel or tell. I am thankful to Almighty Allah for this achievement,” he said.

Ahsan, who was seeded 27th in the championship, had defeated 2nd seed and defending champion Mohammad Asif in the semi-final before beating top seed Iran’s Sarkosh in the final.

The teenager couldn’t control his emotions after winning the semifinal on Thursday night. His photo of getting emotional while being hugged by Asif went viral on social media this morning.

“It was the moment when I felt that I am heading towards becoming the world champion,” Ahsan mentioned about the semifinal.

The Lahore-based cueist revealed that his journey from the narrow streets of Lahore to the World championship arena wasn’t an easy one.

“I started playing snooker at the age of 6 or 7. It wasn’t an easy sail for me to get out of my home first to the streets of my vicinity, then to main roads of my city and then play provincial and national championship before qualifying to get here,” he said.

“People usually see just one player on a snooker table, but there’s a long struggle and journey behind that one player. I also want to thank everyone who supported and backed me, from my friends to club mates, from the club where I first played to PBSA; it wouldn’t have been possible without their unconditional support,” the youngster said.

Ahsan hoped that his victory would help snooker in Pakistan get its due importance.

“I want the government to support snooker; I want society to support snooker,” he said.

“I wish that when I go back home, I also get the heroic welcome that any other world champion would receive, it is my wish that we — snooker players — also get the same treatment from the society that our cricketers receive from them,” he concluded.