India’s Sourav Kothari defeated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore 1134-944 of to clinch the 2018 WBL World Billiards Championship title in Leeds on Friday.

The former national and Asian Billiards champion was pipped at the post for the coveted World Billiards crown on two occasions in the last two years, including a loss to Gilchrist in the 2016 final in Bengaluru.

Earlier in the semis, Kothari steered his way to a dramatic victory in the dying minutes of the game over 6-time World and defending champion David Causier of England by 1317-1246.

The script of the semifinal match was nothing short of a fairy tale for Kothari who at one stage of the match trailed by more than 500 points with almost no hope of getting back into the match, given Causier’s uncanny capacity of relentless high break building and scoring.