After IPL success, Pak snooker federation plans shortened game

The teams invited for the meet include — besides hosts Pakistan — India, the UAE, Jordan and a fifth team that is yet to be decided. Capt Mohan, speaking to The Indian Express, said a resolution to this effect was mooted and passed by the Asian body.

Asked if it was anything to do with the success of the IPL, Capt Mohan admitted saying, “The concept had the backing of all the members because the sensational success of the T20 World Cup and the recent IPL in India could not be ignored.”

Apart from reducing the number of reds on the table, another innovation that will be tried out at the meet is a three-foul cap on players. Earlier, rules allowed any number of fouls, making the game slow. Another novelty at the meet would be that a player could only aspire for a highest break of 75, instead of 147, said the president of BSFI.

The Asian body has also allowed experimentation with a “shorter and sweeter” version of billiards to make it more spectator-friendly. Capt Mohan said that future billiards tournaments would be limited to a time format of maximum two hours, with a maximum break of 150. “This was necessary to attract crowds to the game,” he said.

This format, though on trial, would also be tried out at the World Championship in Bangalore this September. “Even the SEA Games in Laos next year will give it a shot as there is a strong feeling that the Asian bloc wants this introduced at the Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010,” said BSFI vice-president Ravi K Tandon.

Meanwhile, the national championships at Indore will see these innovations tested at home before the Bangalore meet. As per the Asian body’s ruling, henceforth all nationals will have a technical director for the tournament.

Tandon, who has been appointed to supervise the Indore nationals, reserves the rights to check the table, balls and the cue of the players as and when he feels necessary. This, said Tandon, is to avoid any unfair advantage to any player.