PUNE: Former National champion Zaheer Pasha of India won the title of the Swiss League event of the 8th International Carrom Federation Cup 2019 being played at the PYC Hindu Gymkhana here.
He won all eight matches for a tally of 16 points. In the process he left two of his countrymen—Anil Mundhe and K Srinivas behind. Both finished with seven wins and 14 points apiece but Anil pipped Srinivas on a better scoring average for second spot.
Anil must thank Srinivas for having scalped former World Champion Nishantha Fernando (12 points) in the earlier round. Nishantha finished eighth. Reigning World champion Prashant More (12 points) ended sixth.
The first seven places went to India in the event organised by the All-India Carrom Federation in associaition with Maharashtra Carrom Association.
India’s Ahmed Irshad (4th), Kajal Kumari (5th), Rajesh Gohil (7th), Canada’s Louis Fernandes (9th) and Lanka’s Mohd Anas (10th) tied on 12 points each only to be separated by their respective scoring average.
K Srinivas beat Sandeep Dive in the last round to clinch the third spot. Kajal Kumari and Rashmi Kumari were the two ladies who put an impressive show in a strong field of 86 in which majority of them were men.
Rashmi finished in 12th place. Zaheer was in unstoppable form on the day in an event which is akin to rapid chess. A match consists of only eight boards and has to be completed in 30 minutes.