![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Andrew-P-and-Daria-S.jpg\")
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Kings peaked when it mattered most with a facile 3-0 win over Chennai Strikers to make it to the final of the of the Indian Cue Masters League.<\/p>\nAhmedabad: Gujarat Kings peaked when it mattered most with a facile 3-0 win over Chennai Strikers to make it to the final of the of the Indian Cue Masters League.<\/p>\n
The star of Thursday was the Kings\u2019 Icon player Andrew Pagett who stunned an off-colour Pankaj Advani not once but twice \u2013 Snooker Doubles (with Daria Sirotina) and the Snooker Singles (Icon).<\/p>\n
In the final, Gujarat Kings will play Delhi Dons.<\/p>\n
In the first semi-final of the day, \u2018Welsh Wizard\u2019 Pagget paired up with Daria Sirotina to overcome the Indian pair of Advani \/ Vidya Pillai in the Snooker Doubles 24-8, 13-20, 37-18.<\/p>\n
He returned to beat Advani in the Icon\u2019s clash 7-41; 36-6; 30-2 in a game of fluctuating fortunes that included losing the first frame.<\/p>\n
Gujarat Kings then saw Alok Kumar carry on the good work in the evening pulling off a solid 2-0 victory over Dharmender Lilly in the 9-ball pool to seal a place in the summit clash.<\/p>\n
A confident Pagett later said; \u201cI didn\u2019t see it turn out any other way.\u201d He added: \u201cI love to play mind games with Pankaj and with the crowd behind me all the pressure was on him. I am looking ahead at playing the finals now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Kings had a near perfect day, with Lady Luck favouring them and everything going their way.<\/p>\n
Riding on the lead provided by Alok Kumar, Pagett\/Daria put up a sterling display, not giving any opportunity to Advani\/Vidya. They raced away to a 24-8 win in the opening frame.<\/p>\n
But in the second, even though they were ahead 12-0 with barely a couple of minutes left, Pagett committed an unexpected error to let the Indian duo back in at 12-13. Vidya made it 13-13 and even pocketed the pink but had failed to call a time out. The officials ruled against her, forcing the game into a black ball shootout.<\/p>\n
It was a tense, defensive finish, with none of the cueists taking any chance and coming up with a near-perfect defensive play. Pagett was finally forced into an error, allowing Advani to win the shootout and take the contest into the decider.<\/p>\n
But this time, it was Advani who made the mistake, giving away the frame to the Gujarat Kings.<\/p>\n
The Icon\u2019s match lived up to its billing, with Pagett particularly playing like a true king. He claimed the opening frame 41-7 to put Pankaj completely under pressure. But Pankaj managed to claw his way back, producing an immaculate frame for a 36-6 win.<\/p>\n
Pagett was once again in his elements in the decider, manufacturing a stunning shot to open up the table and a commanding 28-2 lead. Advani got a couple of chances to go for broke as the clock started ticking on him; but surprisingly, he didn\u2019t go for them and lost the game, the match and the tie for Chennai Strikers.<\/p>\n
RESULTS<\/p>\n
Gujarat Kings b Chennai Strikers: 3-0<\/p>\n
Match 1: Snooker Doubles: Andrew Pagett\/ Daria Sirotina b Pankaj Advani\/ Vidya Pillai 24-8, 13-20, 37-18; Result- 1-2<\/p>\n
Match 2: Pool Singles: Alok Kumar b Dharminder Lilly 1-0; 1-0; Result- 0-2<\/p>\n
Match 3: Snooker Singles (ICON): Andrew Pagett b Pankaj Advani: 7-41; 36-6; 30-2; Result: 1-2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Kings peaked when it mattered most with a facile 3-0 win over Chennai Strikers to make it to the final of the of the Indian Cue Masters League.<\/p>\n
The star of Thursday was the Kings\u2019 Icon player Andrew Pagett who stunned an off-colour Pankaj Advani not once but twice \u2013 Snooker Doubles (with Daria Sirotina) and the Snooker Singles (Icon).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[88],"tags":[22605,22604,22606,22575,22577,6480,466,523],"class_list":["post-35393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-snooker-billiard-snooker-billiard","tag-andrew-pagett","tag-chennai-strikers","tag-daria-sirotina","tag-gujarat-kings","tag-indian-cue-masters-league","tag-indian-sports","tag-indian-sports-news","tag-pankaj-advani"],"yoast_head":"\n