In a display of sheer dominance and skill, defending champion B Bhaskar secured his 25th Karnataka State ranking billiards title with a resounding victory over his long-time rival, IH Manudev. The final, held at the Karnataka State Billiards Association Hall in Bengaluru, concluded with a decisive 4-0 scoreline in favor of the former Asian champion.
A One-Sided Final Showdown
The best-of-seven final turned out to be a masterclass from Bhaskar. He set a powerful tone right from the start, winning the opening frame 150-27 with clinical precision. The Bengaluru-based cueist then seamlessly found his rhythm, constructing three consecutive century breaks that left the seasoned Manudev struggling to find a response.
Riding on this wave of confidence, Bhaskar comfortably took the next two frames with scores of 150-20 and 151-33. This put him on the brink of victory, needing just one more frame to seal the championship. However, a brief moment of uncertainty arose after the interval in the fourth frame, as Manudev seized early opportunities to build a 19-point lead.
Experience Trumps Nerves
For a fleeting moment, past disappointments—where titles had slipped away at similar crucial junctures—threatened to surface. But Bhaskar's decades of experience at the table proved to be the steadying force. Drawing upon over thirty years of competition, he composed himself and produced a magnificent match-winning break of 130 points. This stellar effort sealed the fourth frame 151-39 and crowned him the champion once again.
This victory holds special significance for Bhaskar, who has faced a series of runner-up finishes and near misses in other tournaments in recent years. He acknowledged the win as a major morale booster.
The Key to a Long-Awaited Crown
In his post-match comments, Bhaskar revealed that a complete technical overhaul was behind his successful comeback. "Wanting to get better and learn the game has been the key," he stated. He explained that despite reaching several finals, including national ones, he often fell short in the semifinals or title rounds. "Ever since Covid, I've worked very hard on my technique. I actually wiped my old technique clean and started from scratch — I was missing a piece of the puzzle," Bhaskar shared. He added that over the two days of the tournament, everything finally clicked into place.
In the playoff for third place, ML Lakshman secured the podium finish by getting past Sasha Sambi. The final standings for the Senior Men's Billiards event are as follows:
- 1. B Bhaskar
- 2. IH Manudev
- 3. ML Lakshman
- 4. Sasha Sambi
- 5. Arjun Mehta
- 6. Kshitij Garg
- 7. Mayank Karthik
- 8. Sean Davis
The tournament underscored Bhaskar's enduring class and determination, marking a triumphant return to the winner's circle with a historic 25th state title.
