Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships begin in Ahmedabad with 144 Players

The second edition of the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships began in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, with 144 players from approximately 42 Commonwealth nations set to compete across five disciplines.

The four-day championships, being held at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex from October 7 to 10, mark the first time the multi-discipline event is being staged in India.

The competition features 72 men and 72 women across English Billiards, Snooker, 10-Ball Pool, Heyball and Blackball, with 10 medal events on offer.

The championships are organised by Apex Sports Promotion and hosted by the Billiards & Snooker Federation of India (BSFI), under the endorsement of the World Confederation of Billiards Sports (WCBS) and Commonwealth Sport. The event also forms part of BSFI’s centenary celebrations.

India enters the competition after winning five medals at the inaugural edition in Mauritius in 2025.

Defending Commonwealth Women’s Heyball champion Vidya Pillai, Men’s Heyball silver medallist Shivam Arora and Women’s 10-Ball Pool silver medallist Chitra Magimairaj headline the Indian challenge.

The international field includes established names such as England’s Kelly Fisher and Rebecca Kenna, South Africa’s Craig Bouwer, Malaysia’s Lim Kok Leong and Wales’ Darren Morgan.

The championships also provide a significant international platform for cue sports in India, with Ahmedabad hosting an event that brings together athletes across multiple disciplines. The WCBS has described the championships as one of the major events on the international cue sports calendar.

Speaking at the pre-event press conference, WCBS Vice President Mubarak Al-Khayarin said the championships would provide a platform for high-level competition while strengthening connections across the sport.

“We are delighted to see this year’s edition take place in Ahmedabad, India,” Al-Khayarin said. “Bringing leading cue sports athletes from across the Commonwealth together provides a valuable platform for high-level competition and further strengthens the connections that unite our sport globally.”

WCBS Board Member Grieta Steenkamp added that events such as the championships create opportunities for athletes while strengthening international sporting relationships and expanding the global reach of cue sports.

With established champions, emerging players and India’s leading cueists competing on home soil, Ahmedabad will host the Commonwealth cue sports field through October 10.