Indian Cue Masters League begins on Saturday

Ahmedabad, Aug 18: Top players from the country as well as international stars are all set for the inaugural edition of the Indian Cue Masters League, starting from Saturday.

The opening tie of the Cue Slam promises to light up the league as Indian billiards and snooker's poster boy Pankaj Advani leads Chennai Strikers' charge against Welsh Wizard Andrew Pagett's Gujarat Kings. Delhi Dons take on Bengaluru Buddies in the day's other encounter.  

"We have experience and youth on our side. We will take some beating," Advani, a 16-time world champion, proclaimed.

"The skill of veteran Dharminder Lilly and Faisal Khan and the energy of Vidya Pillai and Pandu Rangaiah makes it a perfect mix," he added.

The seven-day league will see five teams — Delhi Dons, Bengaluru Buddies and Hyderabad Hustlers being the other three — fight it out in an enthralling round robin cum knockout format.

Each tie will have three 6-Red snooker and two 9-Ball pool matches. Each team boasts of five players (1 icon player, 1 female player and 3 men players, with the stipulation that at least three of them are Indians).