Stunning Turnaround: Veteran Goodwill Edges Champion in Billiards Thriller

Veteran English player Martin Goodwill secured a surprising victory against reigning champion Sourav Kothari in the IBSF World Billiards Championship's Group 'A' final match with a 276-275 score. Despite the loss, Kothari advanced to the knockout stages. Prominent Indian player Pankaj Advani topped Group B, progressing alongside several fellow Indians.

In a surprising turn of events at the IBSF World Billiards Championship, 63-year-old Martin Goodwill of England clinched a narrow 276-275 victory over reigning champion Sourav Kothari in their final Group 'A' league match on Sunday.

This win allowed Goodwill to maintain an undefeated record in his league games. Despite his loss, Kothari advanced to the pre-quarterfinals, having previously secured two wins in three matches. Kothari's previous match performance, which saw him dominate France's Akhilesh Mohan with a score of 825-40, was notably off-mark against Goodwill.

Meanwhile, Pankaj Advani displayed formidable skill, excelling in Group 'B' with three decisive victories. In his last group match, Advani overwhelmed Baek Minhu of South Korea, securing his position in the knockout stages. Other Indian cueists, including Dhruv Sitwala, Alok Kumar, Rupesh Shah, Shrikrishna S, Siddharth Parikh, and Rafath Habib, also progressed to the last-16 stage, marking a strong Indian presence in the tournament's next round.