Sport country Pakistan Highest break 139 Professional 1991–2007 Name Shokat Ali | Highest ranking 34 (2002/2003) Role Singer Career winnings £241,640 | |
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Born March 4, 1970 (age 54)
Accrington, England ( 1970-03-04 ) Best ranking finish Quarter-final (2001 Thailand Masters) Albums Meri Pasand, Saif Ul Malook part 1, Qaul Similar People Inayat Hussain Bhatti, Alam Lohar, Naseebo Lal, Masood Rana, Naheed Akhtar | ||
Shokat Ali (born 4 March 1970) is an English snooker player of Pakistani descent, who represents Pakistan in international tournaments. Ali turned professional in 1991, but his best performance in professional competition came ten years later in the 2001 Thailand Masters where he reached the quarter-finals, beating Ronnie O'Sullivan en route. He first gained notice when he defeated Jimmy White to reach the last 16 of the 1998 Grand Prix, and also enjoyed a run of form in 1999.
He has career earnings of over £240,000 and has a high break of 139. In 1998 Ali became the first man to win a Gold Medal for cue sports in world competition which he achieved at the Asian Games.
Shokat Ali also won an episode on the game show "The Big Break" in 1996. In doing so, he became the first Pakistani snooker player to win the show.
In 2005 his cue was stolen from his car, and he suffered a deterioration of results as he struggled to find another cue he could show his best form using. He dropped off the game's Main professtional tour in 2007, but showed signs of a return to form in 2008, winning an event on the secondary PIOS Tour.
Ali is co-owner, with fellow player and horse enthusiast Chris Norbury, of Elite Snooker Club in Preston. Shokat Ali awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by Pakistan Government for his Gold Medal achievement