By Sachit Subba • Other Sports • Aug 08, 2026 16:03 PM • 106 views
KATHMANDU — Sabin Tamang delivered a masterclass performance on Saturday, dismantling Rohit Chhetri 6–1 in a one-sided final to claim the Kathmandu Khel Mandal (NRT) Top 16 Grand Masters Snooker Championship.
Played under a best-of-11 frame format at NRT's headquarters in Tripureshwar, Tamang controlled the table from the opening rack. After taking early control with a 59–32 opening frame win, he briefly stumbled in the second (1–70) before stringing together five consecutive dominant frames—winning 73–52, 59–41, 74–22, 68–13, and 67–17—to seal the title emphatically.
The victory extends Tamang’s psychological hold over Chhetri, marking his third win against the finalist across all competitions. For the runner-up, the defeat compounds recent heartbreak, following his runner-up finish to Som Lama at the Nepal Masters Snooker Championship.
Along with the inaugural title trophy, Tamang bagged a top cash prize of NPR 111,111. Chhetri took home NPR 51,000 alongside his runner-up trophy, while the semi-finalists Wangchu Tamang and Rajan Gurung were each awarded NPR 25,000 and trophies for their tournament runs.
The 12-day tournament, organised by historic club New Road Team (NRT), kicked off on July 28 (Srawan 13). At the closing ceremony, dignitaries including KKM NRT Patron Committee member Durga Maharjan, Bagmati Provincial Assembly member Dipendra Shrestha, NRT President Sundar Narsingh Joshi, General Secretary Satish Krishna Shrestha, Tournament Coordinator Rajendra Shakya (Maila), and Nepal Billiards, Snooker and Pool Association President Saroj Mulmi presented the honours during the prize distribution ceremony.
