Advani, Sethi in Indian team

National champion Pankaj Advani and seven-time world champion Geet Sethi would join defending champion Devendra Joshi in the seven-member Indian team for the Asian Billiards Championship to be held in Pune from February 19 to 26.

The other members of the team are Ashok Shandilya, B Bhaskar, Sourav Kothari and Rishabh Thakkar.

Joshi received a direct entry by virtue of being the defending champion and hence India could field an additional player, selection committee member and Billiards and Snooker Federation of India vice president Ravi Tandon said in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The team was decided following a selection-cum-coaching camp held in Mumbai, he said, adding the criteria for making the grade was the points earned by them during last month's National championship and the camp.

The four-member team for the 2005 IBSF World Billiards Championship to be held at Qawra, Malta from March 13-20 was also finalised by the committee which also comprises BSFI president P N Roy and national coach Michael Ferriera.

India would be represented in the championship by Advani (9696 points), Sethi (9604) , Joshi (8211) and Shandilya (7754).