ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 (APP): Three Pakistani players have moved to the finals of the World Youth Scrabble Championship being managed by Pakistan from Karachi virtually.
Pakistan was the only country to have three players in the finals while two players each from Sri Lanka and India made it to the finals. Australia, Thailand and Malaysia have one player each in the finals, said a press release.
However, the biggest shock of the championship was defending champion Syed Imaad Ali of Pakistan failed to make it to the finals.
The group stages of the World Youth Scrabble Championship came to an end. The championship featured 86 players from 15 countries across five continents.
After completion of 36 rounds, top ten players moved to the final to be played on October 29 and 30.
Sri Lanka dominated the group stage as the first and second positions were held by Sri Lankan players. Adheesha Dissanayeke finished the group stage with 28 wins and a spread of 2667 while Sandali Withanage was second with 25 wins and a tie.
Pakistan’s Hasham Hadi finished 3rd with 26 wins and a spread of 1886 and debutante Affan Salman was 4th with 25 wins and a spread of 2210. Affan’s elder brother Ali Salman also made it to the finals.
The ten finalists include Hasham Hadi Khan, Affan Salman, Ali Salman (Pakistan); Adheesha Dissanayeke, Sandali Vithanage (Sri Lanka); Madhav Kamath, Pramit Rao (India); Ronnie Bennet (Australia); Chaiyottha Manachaisi (Thailand) and Eirfan Razman (Malaysia).
On Saturday all ten finalists would play a round robin league and then on Sunday there will be a five-game on King of the Hill format to decide the World Youth Champion.