Top cueists from India displayed their dominance on the green baize as both the teams got past their respective opponents without losing a single frame before making a comfortable entry into the semi-final.
India A comprising Alok Kumar, Sourav Kothari, Dhruv Sitwala and Balachandra Bhaskar outplayed England A 5-1 in the last-4 encounter while India B, which has top guns like Pankaj Advani, Rupesh Shah, Ashok Shandilya and Devendra Joshi blanked Republic of Ireland 6-0.
However, for India A cueists it will be a first World title if they win the team event, with veterans like former Asian and billiards champion Kumar, reigning Asian billiards champion Kothari, world billards runner-up Sitwala and Asian Games bronze medallist Bhaskar devoid of a world crown.
India's other team has a bagful of world titles with nine-time champion Advani already eyeing a 10th, Shah is a two-time world billiards champion, Shandilya is also a former world billiards champion (2002-Short Format) while Joshi is a former runner-up in the World pro-Billiards.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
