Exclusive | How World Billiards Champion Sourav Kothari stunned 'beasts' like Causier and Advani in Ireland

By winning the championship in Ireland, Sourav Kothari became only the third Indian to win both the IBSF and the WBL World Billiards titles. In an exclusive history, he talks about his rivalry with Pankaj Advani and how he scripted history.

The first time I met Sourav Kothari, quite a few years ago, I was very impressed with how down to earth he is, despite being a big name in the world of cue sports. When I spoke to him recently to talk about his incredible World Billiards Championship title in Carlow, Ireland, after he returned home to Kolkata, it was nice to know that he is still that humble gentleman I met many years ago, despite being crowned world champion again.

Ask him if he played flawless billiards, especially in the semis and final of the recently concluded Championship and pat comes the reply – “Definitely not”. That despite the fact that he had a 325 break, along with two other century breaks, against the prolific Pankaj Advani in the summit clash and led David Causier of England 600-35 at one stage in the semis. Sourav overcame the fiercely intimidating Causier in a repeat of the 2018 World Championship semis, before outplaying compatriot Pankaj Advani 725-480, to secure the title. With this win he also became just the third Indian to win both the IBSF and the WBL World Billiards titles.

One look at the field in this year’s Championship was a reminder of just how difficult it must have been to clinch the title. Experts feel the competition was perhaps the stiffest in many years, with all the major players in the world, like David Causier, Rob Hall, Peter Gilchrist, Peter Sheehan playing, along with ace players from India like Sourav, Pankaj, Nalin Patel and other top-ranked players from Scotland and host country, Ireland.

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