National champion and 27-time IBSF World Champion Pankaj Advani starts as firm favorite to extend his reign in the prestigious CCI Snooker Classic 2026, which is set to commence at the iconic Cricket Club of India’s Wilson Jones Billiards Hall from March 6, 2026.
Pankaj Advani
The modest and humble Bengaluru-based cueist who has emerged champion in the last three editions, aims to win his fourth consecutive crown on the CCI tables, which has proved to be his happy hunting ground.
Advani, who is India’s most decorated and accomplished cueist to have dominated the green baize for over decades will be the man to beat in this annual tournament which offers a total prize pool of ₹13.5 lakh, which is one of the richest in the country.
He is expected to encounter strong challenges from Mumbai-based former National champion Aditya Mehta, who he defeated to win the 92nd National Snooker Championship in Haryana in January. The other contenders include, Brijesh Damani, Kreish Gurbaxani and Sahil Nayyar, both currently plying their trade in the pro circuit, former National champ Sourav Kothari, S. Srikrishna and Laxman Rawat to name a few.
The tournament will start with the qualifying rounds, which will be played over three stages. Sixteen winners from the third stage will earn the right to challenge the 16 seeded player in the fourth stage, the main knockout draw.
The knockout round which commences from March 18, promises to witness sensational battles for supremacy. The champion will earn a purse of ₹3.5 lakh, while the runner-up will receive ₹1.75 lakh.
The finals are slated to be played on March 22.