New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI) Ace Indian cueist Sourav Kothari clinched the 2025 IBSF World Billiards title after an emphatic victory over multiple-time winner Pankaj Advani in the final in Carlow, Ireland.

The cue sports world witnessed an unforgettable clash between two of India’s finest — Kothari and Advani — for the coveted title at the Snooker and Billiards Ireland (SBI) Academy on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old Kothari emerged champion, scoring 725 points to Advani’s 480. His brilliant break of 325 was the standout moment of the match and it was one of the finest efforts in recent championship history.

Kothari also notched up breaks of 119 and 112, showcasing exceptional composure, focus, and cue control.

This victory marked a historic first IBSF world title (timed format) for Kothari, 35 years after his father and billiards legend Manoj Kothari won it in 1990 in Bangalore.

The 39-year-old Advani displayed flashes of brilliance with impressive breaks of 129, 116, and 112. However, the massive break of 325 in the first half hour of the match by Kothari saw Advani always playing catch up.

In the final hour of the 3-hour final, the drama intensified as Advani had narrowed the lead to less than 50 points, but Kothari displayed composure under trying circumstances and managed to hold on to his nerves, keeping his score-board ticking.

Kothari ultimately raced away to a 200-point lead with not enough time remaining on the clock for Advani.

The field in this year’s IBSF World Billiards was the strongest in many years with every single top player of the world, including the likes of former world champions Peter Gilchrist of Singapore and Rob Hall, David Causier, Peter Sheehan of England were joined by the top ranked players of India, Ireland and Scotland.

Kothari is now only the third Indian to have won both the IBSF and the WBL World Billiards titles. PTI PDS PDS UNG