TTs Report :
Phenomenal FG Polo team outpaced team Diamond Paints/Master Paints by a good margin of 12-8 in the main final to clinch the coveted trophy of Bank of Punjab (BoP) 95th Punjab Polo Cup that concluded here at the Lahore Polo Club ground on Sunday.
The main final drew a notable crowd, including dignitaries such as Ijaz Ur Rehman Qureshi, Bank of Punjab’s Group Head Operations, who attended as the chief guest. The event was further graced by the presence of Raza Bashir, Chief of Staff and Strategy at Bank of Punjab, along with Malik Azam Hayat Noon, President of Lahore Polo Club, executive committee members, players, their families, and a host of polo enthusiasts.
Raul Laplacette from FG Polo stole the show with an outstanding performance, scoring nine goals out of twelve. Teammate Mian Abbas Mukhtar contributed significantly with three remaining goals. Despite a two-goal handicap advantage and spirited efforts from Amirreza Behboudi (3 goals), Raja Jalal Arslan (2 goals), and Mir Shoaib Ahmed (1 goal) of the Diamond Paints/Master Paints team, they could not bridge the gap created by FG Polo’s aggressive play.
The opening chukker of the main final was a tightly matched affair, with both teams netting two goals apiece to level the score at 2-2. In the second chukker, FG Polo took command, scoring an impressive five goals to Diamond Paints/Master Paints’ single goal, establishing a 7-3 advantage. The third chukker saw Diamond Paints/Master Paints momentarily close the gap to 4-7 with an early field goal, but FG Polo quickly regained their momentum, scoring two consecutive goals to extend their lead to 9-4.
The final and crucial chukker witnessed FG Polo enhancing their performance, netting three significant goals to Diamond/Master Paints’ two, achieving a commanding 12-6 lead. Accounting for Diamond Paints/Master Paints’ two-goal handicap advantage, the match concluded with a 12-8 victory in favour of FG Polo, crowning them as the champions. The match was expertly officiated by field umpires Mark Holmes and Abdul Sattar Niazi.
Mian Abbas Mukhtar of FG Polo, reflecting on the victory, shared with the media, “Our team’s (FG Polo) dedication and hard work have once again led us to victory. Defending our title successfully is a proud moment for us, and we look forward to carrying this winning streak into future tournaments.”
The subsidiary final was set between DS Polo and BN Polo but was called off due to rain, leading to a win for DS Polo by default after BN Polo withdrew from the penalty shootout decision. The event concluded with the chief guest presenting shields and souvenirs to the victors and standout performers, celebrating another successful chapter in the storied history of the Punjab Polo Cup.
