New Delhi: Asian champion Pankaj Advani and former champion Geet Sethi led the Indian charge as all seven cueists from the country reached the knockout stage in the points format of the IBSF world billiards championship in Qawra, Malta, on Monday.

The other Indians to make it to the last 16 were Devendra Joshi, Ashok Shandilya, Sourav Kothari, Alok Kumar and Dhruv Sitwala, according to information received here.

Joshi was the first to make it to the next stage when he defeated Gary Oliver of New Zealand in the third and final round robin match. (PTI)