Abhimanyu Gandhi powers Rockets

Otters Club’s cueist Abhimanyu Gandhi was in great nick and constructed breaks of 71 and 48 in winning both his frames which powered Otters ‘Rockets’ to a 3-1 victory over Hindu Gymkhana’s team PJHG ‘Action Jackson’ in the best-of-five frame pre-quarter-final encounter of the Otters-BSAM Mumbai Snooker League at the Otters Club billiards room.

The dapper Gandhi (+15 handicap) took optimum advantage of the home conditions and quickly got into his stride as he neatly constructed a 71 run to knock the fight out of Aditya Shandilya (+50) racing to a 128-57 in the opening frame. But, Gandhi’s teammate Rishabh Thakkar (+20) lost the second to Jignesh Thakkar (+50) 59-88.

Otters Club’s pair of Nabil Lakdawala and Zenul Arsiwala (+18) continued with their impressive run defeating the Hindu Gymkhana duo of Uday Shah and Variksh Mehta (+33) 66-62 to regain their lead. Gandhi continued the good work and did not provide Hindu Gymkhana’s Thakkar (+50) too many opportunities as he waltzed to a 112-50 win in the fourth frame and completed Otters’ success and a place in the quarter-finals.

Having emerged champions in the last two years, Otters Rockets are now three wins away from completing a hat-trick of title triumphs.

Meanwhile, Cricket Club of India team CCI ‘ Royal Strikers’ rode on the brilliance of Shahbaz Khan, who won both his frames to overcome Khar Gymkhana’s side KG ‘Vanar Sena’ 3-1 in a round of 32 encounter.

Results - Pre-quarter-finals: Otters ‘Rockets’ beat PJHG ‘Action Jackson’ 3-1 (Abhimanyu Gandhi (+15) beat Aditya Shandilya (+50) 128(71)-57; Rishabh Thakkar (+20) lost Jignesh Thakkar (+50) 59-88; Nabil Lakdawala/ Zenul Arsiwala (+18) beat Uday Shah/ Variksh Mehta (+33) 66-62; Abhimanyu Gandhi (+15) beat Jignesh T +50 112(48)-50).

Round 32: CCI ‘Royal Strikers’ beat KG ‘Vanar Sena’ 3-1 (Nishant Dossa/ Kanishk Jhanjharia (+18) beat Krish Shetty/ Sagar Kanjani (+30) 67-49; Shahbaz Khan (+15) beat Sahil Kakkad (+50) 110-81; Rahul Sachdev (SCR) lost Hamehr Mago (+25) 22-81; Shahbaz Khan (+15) beat Sagar Kanjabi (+45) 98-84)4.