Pankaj Advani ensures a medal in World Snooker Championships

Doha: India's top cueist Pankaj Advani has assured India of yet another medal after storming into the semifinals of the World Snooker Championships on Sunday.

The 17-time world champion Advani has earned a medal in every World Championship held in Doha this entire month.

After a gold and a bronze in the World Billiards short and long formats respectively, Advani now is the only Indian to secure a medal at the current snooker world event too.

To achieve this remarkable feat, Advani had to tame the young and talented Luo Honghao of China 6-2 in the best-of- eleven quarterfinals.

After a hat-trick of frames won by the Indian, Honghao fought back and grabbed the next two to make it 3-2.

But the multiple world title holder relied on his experience to run away with the match by winning another three frames on the trot with the help of 73 and 65 breaks.

Advani had earlier overcame a challenge from Pakistan's Asjad Iqbal with a facile 5-1 victory. The Indian scored yet another century (103) as well as 50 and 66 breaks to seal the pre-quarterfinal tie.

Advani will next face Florian Nuble of Austria for a spot in the final.