Pankaj Advani defeats Mike Russell to enter final of World Billiards Championship

Mandalay: India's leading cueist Pankaj Advani on Saturday overcame England's Mike Russell 5-2 in the semifinals of IBSF World Billiards Championship in Mandalay, Myanmar.

In a clash of the titans, the might of multiple-time world champion- Russell, didn't prove enough to stop India's golden boy. The Brit had a ditto performance last year finishing with bronze again. However, last time the eventual runner-up and this year's finalist again, Nay Thway Oo of Myanmar stopped Russell in his tracks.

Pankaj, vying for his 22nd world title, will play in a repeat of last year's final against Oo. The Myanmar silver medalist from last year will have another crack at his maiden world championship against Pankaj.

The Indian ace Pankaj scored three back-to-back centuries but managed to convert only two of those frames as Russell took advantage of Pankaj's error on 142 and made a 150.

When asked about his crucial semifinal performance, Pankaj said, "I am really pleased to enter the final again a year later. Mike played well so I knew I had to bring more firepower to the match to give myself a chance to defend my title. This feels like deja vu playing Oo again, that too in the final and in Myanmar two years in a row. Let's hope the outcome is the same too!"