ISLAMABAD: Pakistan won the Snooker Team World Cup title for the second time by defeating Hong Kong in the final of the International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) event in Muscat on Sunday.

Pakistani duo of Muhammad Asif and Asjad Iqbal rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-five-frame final to overcome Hong Kong’s Chau Hon Man and Nansen Wan with a 3-2 win.

Former world champion Asif and Iqbal produced two exceptional century breaks in the deciding phase of the match to clinch the title, with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praising the outstanding performance.

“The Pakistani players won the World Cup title with great skill,” he said in a statement. “The entire nation, including me, is proud of our players.”

The Pakistani pair reached the final by defeating India in the semifinals, wherein Asif and Iqbal demonstrated exceptional skill to secure a commanding 3-1 victory over India’s Pankaj Advani and Brijesh Damani.

This victory marks another milestone for Pakistan, showcasing the growing popularity of the sport in the South Asian country.

In July, Pakistan stamped their authority on the global snooker stage as Asif and Muhammad Hasnain clinched both the Masters and Under-17 titles after a thrilling finale at the IBSF World Snooker Championship 2025 in Bahrain.

Asif faced a stern test in the World Masters final, going toe-to-toe with India’s Brijesh Damani in a nail-biting encounter. After six fiercely contested frames, the Pakistani star cueist held his nerve in the decider to edge Damani 4-3.

Hasnain produced a clinical display of cue mastery, sweeping past Riley Powell of Wales 4-0 to seize the World Under-17 Snooker crown.