Was in the zone: Advani

Pankaj Advani with the winner’s trophy at CCI recently

Current double World Champion Pankaj Advani revealed he had to be at his best in order to beat one of the best to clinch the Cricket Club of India (CCI) billiards title recently.

"There are days when you're extremely happy with the result and there are days when you experience the sheer joy of being in the zone. Delighted to have played some of my best billiards in the final against one of the best in the world - David Causier of UK," Advani wrote on social media platform X after continuing to rule at the CCI.

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Advani was in outstanding form as he constructed two humongous breaks of 801 and 460 to smother the challenge from Englishman Causier by charging to a 1836-743 victory in a lop-sided four-hour final of the All India CCI Billiards Classic at the CCI's Wilson Jones billiards hall recently. At the end of the first two-hour session Advani enjoyed a slender lead of 593-570 and was on a break of 204, which he converted to a 460.

This was Advani's fourth successive triumph at this venue. He claimed the CCI Snooker Classic over the last two years and now retained the billiards title. Bangalore-based Advani, the country's most decorated green baize player, and proud owner of 27 World titles, was in a domineering mood and quashed the aspirations of the 10-time world champion from England.

Causier started well and on his second visit, constructed a break of 248 and followed it up with breaks of 146 and 103, before Advani came into his own with some big breaks to wrest the initiative before sailing away to victory.