India's Sourav Kothari defeated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore 1134-944 of to clinch the 2018 WBL World Billiards Championship title here yesterday. The former national and Asian Billiards champion was pipped at the post for the coveted World Billiards crown on two occasions in the last two years, including a loss to Gilchrist in the 2016 final in Bangalore.

Earlier in the semis, Kothari steered his way to victory in the dying minutes of the game over 6-time World and defending champ David Causier of England by 1317-1246. The script of the semi-final was nothing short of a fairy tale for Kothari who at one stage of the match trailed by more than 500 points with almost no hope of getting back into the match, given Causier's uncanny capacity of relentless high break building and scoring.