Saleh Mohammad (snooker player)

Last updated
Saleh Mohammad
Born (1973-02-24) 24 February 1973 (age 52)
Kingdom of Afghanistan
Sport countryFlag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan (1988–2008)
Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan (2009–present)
Professional1998/1999
Medal record
Men's Snooker
Representing Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan
Asian Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2002 Busan Doubles [1]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2002 Busan Team [2]
Representing Flag of Afghanistan (2013-2021).svg  Afghanistan
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2013 Incheon Individual [3]
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2017 Ashgabat 6-Red Singles
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2017 Ashgabat Team [4]

Saleh Mohammad Saleh (born 24 February 1973 [5] ) is a former professional snooker player from Afghanistan. [6] He represented Pakistan between 1988 and 2006. [7] He reached the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2003 and won two medals at 2002 Asian Games.

Contents

Life and career

He was born in Afghanistan and lived as a refugee among the Afghans in Pakistan. He began representing Pakistan in 1988 as an international snooker player. [7] Saleh turned pro in 1995, [8] but lost his place after just one season. In 2003, he reached the finals of the IBSF World Snooker Championship by winning 14 consecutive matches, but lost 5–11 against Pankaj Advani. [9] [10] At the cue sports competitions of the 2002 Asian Games, he won two bronze medals in doubles and team category. At the 2008 ACBS Asian Snooker Championship, Mohammad compiled a maximum break against Nguyen Nhat Thanh. At the end of the same year, he decided to retire in protest, because he "couldn't bear such injustice where cricketers were showered with cash awards on normal victories" and he "wasn't given anything." [8]

In November 2010, after moving back to Afghanistan, Saleh told the Gulf News, "I want to give back something to my country and the only way I can do this is to assist Afghanistan's development in sports, particularly in snooker as that is what I am good at." [11] He represented Afghanistan at the 2012 ACBS Asian Snooker Championship, reaching the quarter-finals, [12] and at the 2012 Six-red World Championship, reaching the last 32. [13] [14] [15] In the Jubilee Insurance 29th Asian Snooker Championship, he decisively beat his Pakistani, Mongolian and Iranian rivals. [6] [16] On 19 June 2013, World Snooker announced that Mohammad didn't confirm his intention to compete in the Main Tour, and was replaced by Ratchayothin Yotharuck. [17]

Performance and rankings timeline

Tournament 1995/
96
1998/
99
2008/
09
2012/
13
Ranking [nb 1] [nb 2] [nb 3] [nb 2] [nb 2]
Ranking tournaments
UK Championship ALQAA
Welsh Open ALQAA
World Open [nb 4] ALQA WR
Players Tour Championship Final Tournament Not HeldDNQ
China Open [nb 5] NHLQAA
World Championship AWDAA
Non-ranking tournaments
Six-red World Championship [nb 6] AA QF 2R
Former ranking tournaments
Irish Open [nb 7] ALQNot Held
Scottish Open [nb 8] AWDNHMR
Thailand Masters [nb 9] ALQNot Held
British Open AWDNot Held
Former non-ranking tournaments
Red & White Challenge QF Tournament Not Held
Performance Table Legend
LQlost in the qualifying draw#Rlost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
QFlost in the quarter-finals
SFlost in the semi-finalsFlost in the finalWwon the tournament
DNQdid not qualify for the tournamentAdid not participate in the tournamentWDwithdrew from the tournament
NH / Not Heldevent was not held
NR / Non-Ranking Eventevent is/was no longer a ranking event
R / Ranking Eventevent is/was a ranking event
MR / Minor-Ranking Eventevent is/was a minor-ranking event
  1. It shows the ranking at the beginning of the season
  2. 1 2 3 He was an amateur
  3. New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking
  4. The event was called the Grand Prix (1995/1996, 1998/1999 and 2008/2009)
  5. The event was called the China International (1998/1999)
  6. The event was called the Six-red Snooker International (2008/2009)
  7. The event was called the European Open (1995/1996)
  8. The event was called the International Open (1995/1996)
  9. The event was called the Thailand Open (1995/1996)

Amateur finals: 8 (4 titles)

OutcomeNo.YearChampionshipOpponent in the finalScore
Winner1.1995Pakistan Amateur Championship (1) Flag of Pakistan.svg Mohammed Shafiq8–5
Winner2.1999Pakistan Amateur Championship (2) Flag of Pakistan.svg Farhan Mirza8–6
Runner-up1.2000Pakistan Amateur Championship (1) Flag of Pakistan.svg Muhammad Yousaf 4–8
Runner-up2.2003 IBSF World Snooker Championship Flag of India.svg Pankaj Advani 5–11
Winner3.2005Pakistan Amateur Championship (3) Flag of Pakistan.svg Naveen Perwani6–2
Runner-up3.2008Pakistan Amateur Championship (2) Flag of Pakistan.svg Muhammad Sajjad3–7
Winner4.2013 Asian Snooker Championship Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg Omar Al Kojah7–2
Runner-up4.2018World Amateur Championship - Masters Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Darren Morgan 0–6

References

  1. "BILLIARDS Snooker Doubles 3rd/4th Place (Game result)". 14th Asian Games Busan 2002. Archived from the original on 5 July 2003. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  2. "BILLIARDS Snooker Teams 3rd/4th Place (Game result)". 14th Asian Games Busan 2002. Archived from the original on 5 July 2003. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  3. "Billiard Sports – Men's Snooker Single" (PDF). aimag2013.org. Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 January 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  4. "Billiard Sports - Men's Snooker Team - MEDALLISTS" (PDF). ashgabat2017.com. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  5. "Player Profile: Saleh Mohammed". Global Snooker Centre. Archived from the original on 18 January 2004. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Cueists Saleh, Senzai score wins". Pajhwok Afghan News. Archived from the original on June 30, 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Saleh outclasses Omar in final to lift title". Daily Times . Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  8. 1 2 Nashmi, Nabeel (13 June 2012). "Snooker: Saleh Mohammad, a star lost to negligence". The Express Tribune . Retrieved 25 February 2013.
  9. "Hero's welcome for Saleh Mohammad". Dawn.com. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  10. Turner, Chris. "Major Amateur Championships". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  11. Saleh keen to develop snooker in Afghanistan, November 20, 2010.
  12. "Asian Championship 2012". Cue Sports India. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  13. "SangSom 6 Red World Championship 2012: Match Schedules of the Round Robin Stages" (PDF). worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association . Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  14. "SangSom 6 Red World Championship (2012)". Snooker.org. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  15. "SangSom World 6 Red Championship 2012". Cue Sports India. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  16. Zuberi, Anwar. "Asif, Saleh among five unbeaten cueists in Asian snooker". Dawn . Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  17. "List Of Tour Players". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association . Retrieved 19 June 2013.