Muscat, November 17 (QNA) – Qatari snooker duo Ali Al Obaidli and Ahmed Saif have qualified for the second round of the World Snooker Championship, which is being hosted by the Sultanate of Oman from November 15 to 23.

Ali Al Obaidli secured his qualification after achieving two wins and one loss in the group stage. He lost his first match in Group D against Afghan player Mohammad Noorzai (1-3), then won his second match against Omani player Abdullah Al Raisi (3-1), and his third match against Malaysian player Thorchuan Leong (3-0).

Ahmed Saif also secured his qualification after winning his first match in Group 16 against Iraqi player Hussein Al Lahibi (3-0), and his second match against Bangladeshi player Asif Imran by the same score.

This ensured his early qualification for the second round, despite his loss in the third match against Iranian player Amir Sarkhosh (0-3). The Qatari national team duo are awaiting the draw for the second round to learn their upcoming opponents in the tournament.

The tournament features 23 countries, including some of the top snooker players, competing for a prize pool of $60,000.

President of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) Mubarak Al Khayarin praised Oman for hosting this global event.

He said, "Organizing the World Snooker Championship in a Gulf country is a significant achievement that will positively impact the sport in the region."

Al Khayarin commended the efforts of the Oman Billiards and Snooker Committee in organizing the tournament and their commitment to ensuring its success, wishing all participating Arab players the best of luck in this international edition. (QNA)