defending champion pankaj advani

Sir Wilson Jones Billiards Hall: Defending champion Pankaj Advani will be leading a talented group of Indian and international billiards players, who will be vying for victory in the prestigious CCI Billiards Classic 2024, which offers a prize purse of Rs 10.15 lakh. The tournament, organized by the Cricket Club of India, will start at the CCI’s Sir Wilson Jones Billiards Hall on March 21.

Advani, India's most successful cueist of all time with 27 World Championship titles to his name, has been in stellar form with three consecutive wins at CCI in the past year. He secured the CCI Classic Snooker title in January 2023 and successfully defended the earlier this month. Additionally, he claimed the CCI Classic Billiards championship last April, demonstrating his dominance at the venue.

Challenging Advani are top Indian players such as National Champion Dhruv Sitwala, National runner-up Sourav Kothari, and Maharashtra No. 1 Mahesh Jagdale, along with several other talented contenders. The tournament has also attracted five international players, including Peter Gilchrist of Singapore and Englishmen David Causier, Peter Sheehan, Chris Taylor, and last year's runner-up Rob Hall.