National champion and defending champion Pankaj Advani (PSPB) and India No. 6 Sourav Kothari (PSPB) had a normal day in office on the opening day of the Main Draw round of 32 match of the Rs 13.5 lakh CCI Snooker Classic 2026 and played at the Cricket Club of India’s Wilson Jones billiards hall on Wednesday.
India No. 6 Sourav Kothari (PSPB) blanked Suraj Rathi (Pune) 4-0 (93-28, 70-0, 123-7, 72-37) to progress to the last 16.
Advani, the country’s most decorated cueist, winner of 27 world titles, produced just one notable break of 65 in the third frame to overcome Rovin D’Souza (RSPB) 4-0 (58-55, 73-7, 92-33, 64-52. On the side table, Kothari rolled in successive breaks of 59 (2nd frame), 57 (3rd frame) and went on to blank Suraj Rathi (Pune) 4-0 (93-28, 70-0, 123-7, 72-37) to progress to the last 16.
India No. 2 and former National champion Aditya Mehta (PSPB) dropped a frame against Manav Panchal (Mumbai) finished on a high with a century effort of 113 to complete a 4-1 (94-6, 79-37, 37-69, 72-7, 119-20) win. Mehta other breaks were 58 (1st frame) and 71 (4th frame).
Meanwhile, home challenger Hassan Badami (Mumbai) started in rousing fashion and knocked out Railways cueist Siddharth Parikh posting a brilliant 4-0 (92-13, 72-21, 79-70, 59-31) victory in another first round match.
Playing in familiar conditions, Badmi started with a bang firing a half-century effort of 58 in the opening frame and followed it with a run of 43 in the second to take a 2-0 lead. He then won a close second frame before signing off with a composed break of 53 in the fourth frame.
Uttar Pradesh’s B.C. Karthik scored a shock win against Laxman Rawat (PSPB romping to a 4-2 (54-36, 69-50, 63-37, 20-93, 23-74, 57-38) victory.
Kreishh Gurbaxani who is competing on the World Snooker Tour (Pro circuit) dropped one frame before getting the better of Shahbaz Khan recording a 4-1 (75-46, 42-53, 68-9, 68-30, 75-44). The Mumbai-based Gurbaxani was not at his best and managed a solitary substantial effort of 66 in the fourth frame.
Results – Main Draw R-32: Paras Gupta beat Mahesh Jagdale 4-2 (100(100)-0, 79-32, 22-72, 35-72, 80(64)-19, 77-12);
Digvijay Kadian beat Sumer Mago 4-1 (43-73, 62-24, 73-35, 89-26, 123(70,53)-5);
I.M. Manudev beat Anurag Bagri 4-0 (67-49, 94(51)-11, 86-30, 67-55);
Kreishh Gurbaxani beat Shahbaz Khan 4-1 (75-46, 42-53, 68-9, 68(66)-30, 75-44);
Brijesh Damani beat E. Panduranaih 4-0 (67-21, 65-47, 74-16, 70-34);
Rahul Sachdev beat S. Srikrishna 4-3 (76(48)-20, 80-17, 47-75, 26-68(53), 56-62(40), 69-43, 86(75)-7);
Hassan Badami beat Siddharth Parikh 92(58)-13, 72(43)-21, 79-70, 59(53)-31);
Sourav Kothari beat Suraj Rathi 4-0 (93-28, 70(59)-0, 123(57)-7, 72-37);
Pankaj Advani beat Rovin D’Souza 4-0 (58-55, 73-7, 92(65)-33, 64-52(47);
Aditya Mehta beat Manav Panchal 4-1 (94(58)-6, 79-37, 37-69, 72(71)-7, 119(113)-20);
B.C. Karthik beat Laxman Rawat 4-2 (54-36, 69-50, 63-37, 20-93(93), 23-74, 57-38),