Pankaj Advani faltered thrice on coloured balls to allow Imran Shahzad win the crucial Lucky Seven singles match that allowed Pakistan to trim India's lead to 12-11 on the first day of the Lawrencepur Snooker Challenge 2005 at the Karachi Club in Karachi on Thursday.
India had entered the last singles match leading the host nation 12-8, but Advani, the former world snooker champion and reigning world billiards champion, failed to sink the green in the centre pocket, blue in the bottom left pocket and pink in the bottom right pocket that would have won him the frame.
Instead, Imran potted the green, brown and blue and then sunk the decisive pink in the top left to win the nerve-wracking frame 54-43.
"It was a heart-stopper but I am glad to bring Pakistan back on even terms," Imran said after the game, adding: "He (Pankaj) would have missed those colours (green, blue and pink) once in 100 tries. I think his loss was my gain."
Advani complimented Imran saying he was a better player but added that with a one-frame match it is anybody's game.
"I think I shouldn't have tried the green but it didn't cost me the match because I knew the match would be decided either on pink or blue.
"Missing the pink was heart-breaking but I think I played good snooker overall," Advani said.
"I don't want to take anything away from Imran because he really played well but one-frame match can go any way. In one-frame matches, there is really not much difference between the players," Advani added.
India's other disappointments on a otherwise satisfying day came when Pakistan's 1993 World champion Mohammad Yousuf defeated Devendra Joshi 58-50, 68-61, 57-33 and last year's losing World championship finalist Saleh Mohammad got the better of Manan Chandra 70-38, 70-27, 13-76.
Saleh had a break of 59 in the second frame while Chandra conjured up a break of 62 in the last frame.
India started briskly and made its intentions clear when they won both the opening one-frame doubles matches. The feature of the doubles match was a break of 70 by Alok Kumar in the second tie.
According to the format of the series, one point is awarded for each frame won (except for Lucky Seven singles) while three points are awarded for winning the Lucky Seven singles frame. Every half century break yields a bonus point whereas a century break earns two bonus points.
Total points earned on each day will be carried forward to the next day and the team with highest points will be adjudged the winner. No player can play the Lucky Seven singles more than once.
In a match of emerging stars, Advani blanked out Pakistan captain Naveen Perwani 94-05, 83-38, 74-30, including two half century breaks in the second and third frames.
Thursday's results:
Match 1 (Doubles): Pankaj Advani/Devendra Joshi beat Mohammad Yousuf/Imran Shahzad 74-46.
Points: India 1 Pakistan 0
Match 2 (Doubles): Alok Kumar/Manan Chandra beat Naveen Perwani/Saleh Mohammad 91 (70)-48.
Points: India 2 Pakistan 0.
Match 3 (Singles): Saleh Mohammad beat Manan Chandra 70-38, 70 (59)-27, 13-76 (62).
Points: Pakistan 3 India 2
Match 4 (Singles): Pankaj Advani beat Naveen Perwani 94-5, 83 (54)-38, 74 (53)-30.
Points: India 5 Pakistan 0
Match 5 (Singles): Alok Kumar beat Imran Shahzad 18-78(57), 66-23 74-51.
Points: India 2 Pakistan 2
Match 6 (Singles): Mohammad Yousuf beat Devendra Joshi 58-50, 68-61, 57-33.
Points: Pakistan 3 India 0
Match 7 (Lucky Seven singles): Imran Shahzad beat Pankaj Advani 54-43.
Points: Pakistan 3 India 0
Total (after 15 frames): India 12 Pakistan 11.