Alok Kumar Holds Nerve in Thriller and Women’s 9-Ball Knockout Line-Up Takes Shape at National Pool Championship 2026

Ludhiana, April 1, 2026: The Manisha Constructions National Pool Championship 2026 continued to deliver high-quality action in Ludhiana, with the Men’s 10-Ball double elimination stage intensifying and the Women’s 9-Ball category progressing into the knockout rounds.
One of the standout moments of the day came from Alok Kumar (PSPB), who held his composure in a gripping hill-hill contest against Shreyash Pednekar (Goa).
The match remained evenly poised throughout, with both players locked at 4–4 before Shreyash edged ahead to reach the hill first. However, under pressure, missed opportunities proved costly, allowing Alok Kumar to capitalize and close out the match 6–5 in a nerve-testing finish.
The victory ensures Alok Kumar advances to the qualification round for the Last 32 knockout stage, underlining his experience and ability to deliver in high-pressure situations.
Top Names Advance in 10-Ball
The Men’s 10-Ball event saw several strong performances across the board:
Pankaj Advani (PSPB) edged Shobhit Sethi (Punjab) 6–5 in a tight contest, Aayush Kumar (Punjab) survived a thriller, defeating Laksh Sharma (Karnataka) 6–5, Saqlain Mushtaque (West Bengal) overcame Namit Sharma (Delhi) 6–5, Nitin Sharma (Chandigarh) delivered a dominant 6–0 win,Kushal Chandrashekhar (Karnataka) and Shahbaz Adil Khan (PSPB) impressed with 6–0 victories and Chetan Chhabra (Telangana) overcame Manik Verma (Punjab) with a strong 6 – 1 win, Reigning champion Shivam Arora (Maharashtral) kept his momentum going with a 6-4 win against Taranpreet  of Punjab
Other notable winners included:
Abhijeet Ranade (Maharashtra)
Piyush Kushwaha (MP)
Dhruv Varma (Punjab)
Simrandeep Pal (Chandigarh)
Ranveer Duggal (Chandigarh)
As the double elimination stage progresses, the race for knockout qualification continues to intensify.
Women’s 9-Ball: Road to Knockouts Finalized. In the Women’s 9-Ball category, the double elimination phase concluded with the final eight players confirmed, setting up the knockout stage.
Top seeds emerging from the group stage include: Ishika Shah (Madhya Pradesh) – Top Seed, Anupama Ramachandran (Tamil Nadu) – Second Seed
The qualification rounds featured a mix of dominant wins and close finishes: Chitra Magimairaj (Karnataka) defeated L. Shruthi (Tamil Nadu) 5–2, Natasha Chethan (Karnataka) registered multiple wins, including 5–2 victories, Suniti Damani (West Bengal) edged Sanvi Shah (MP) 5–4 in a tight contest, Shreenidhi A (Tamil Nadu) overcame Pooja Galundia (Rajasthan) 5–4, Jiya Sehgal (Punjab) impressed with a 5–0 win
With the knockout stage set, the women’s quarterfinal draw promises exciting matchups:
Ishika Shah (MP) vs L. Shruthi (TN)
Jiya Sehgal (PUN) vs Suniti Damani (WB)
Chitra Magimairaj (KAR) vs Sanvi Shah (MP)
Natasha Chethan (KAR) vs Anupama Ramachandran (TN)
The matches are scheduled to take place later today in the second half, with the semi-finals and finals set for April 2.
With the Men’s 10-Ball competition heating up and the Women’s 9-Ball entering its knockout phase, the championship continues to build towards its final stages, promising more high-intensity encounters in the days ahead.
From Alok Kumar’s clutch performance to the emergence of top contenders in the women’s draw, the championship continues to highlight both experience and rising talent, reinforcing the depth of cue sports in India.