Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2023: Diamond, Master triumphant

LAHORE – Diamond Paints and Master Paints carved out contrasting victories in the Century Ventures National Open Polo Championship for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2023 at the Lahore Polo Club on Monday.  

MIR HUZAIFA SHINES IN DIAMOND PAINTS EMPHATIC 12-9 VICTORY OVER HN POLO 

In the first match of the day, Diamond Paints defeated HN Polo by 12-9. High-flying Mir Huzaifa Ahmed from Diamond Paints played a great game and smashed superb seven goals while Chulo Corti fired four fabulous goals and Ahmed Ali Tiwana struck one. For HN Polo, Raja Mikail Sami thrashed four goals while Santiago Loza hammered a hat-trick and Raja Jalal Arslan and Haider Naseem converted one goal apiece. 

The match began with both the sides playing well and scoring two goals each to make it 2-2. Diamond Paints dominated the second chukker with three goals against one by HN Polo to take a 5-3 lead. HN Polo played better game and managed to convert three against two by Diamond Paints, who still had a 7-6 lead. The entire fourth chukker saw dominance of Diamond Paints, who fired five fabulous goals to earn a healthy 12-6 lead while the fifth and last chukker was dominated by HN Polo, who converted three goals, yet lost the match by 9-12.  

PELAYO BERAZADI STARS IN MASTER PAINTS’ THRILLING 9-8 WIN OVER FG POLO 

In the second match of the day, Master Paints defeated FG Polo by 9-8 in sudden death chukker. From Master Paints, Pelayo Berazadi emerged as star of the day as he pumped in four fabulous goals while Manuel Crespo and Sufi Muhammad Haroon banged in a brace each and Agha Musa Ali Khan hit one goal. For FG Polo, Juan Ambroggio slammed three goals while Ramiro Zavaleta and Mian Abbas Mukhtar thrashed two goals each and Saqib Khan Khakwani struck one goal.  

Both the teams were off to a flying start as they banged in a brace to level the score at 2-2 by the end of the first chukker. FG Polo dominated the second chukker with two back-to-back goals to take a 4-2 lead, which couldn’t last long as Master Paints bounced back in the third chukker with a brilliant brace to equalize the score at 4-4.  

The highly-charged fourth chukker saw both the teams playing well but FG Polo got a slight edge of 7-6, as they converted three goals against two by Master Paints. FG added one more in their tally in the beginning of fifth chukker to stretch their lead to 8-6, but Master Paints made a strong comeback with a superb brace to level the score at 8-8. No more goals were scored after that, and the match was then decided in the sudden death chukker, Pelayo Berazadi smashed a match-winning goal to steer Master Paints to a well-deserving 9-8 win. 

FANS ENJOY ENTERTAINING ENCOUNTERS 

There were a good number of spectators present on the occasion to witness the enthralling encounters. Other notables present there were Lahore Polo Club President Umar Sadiq, executive committee members, players, their families and polo enthusiasts.  

TOMORROW’S FIXTURES  

Tomorrow (Tuesday), Remounts will take on BN Polo at 1:30 pm while Master Paints/Newage Cables will vie against DS Polo at 3:30 pm.  

MATCHES SUMMARY   

MATCH # 11: DIAMOND PAINTS 12-9 HN POLO 
DIAMOND PAINTS: Mir Huzaifa Ahmed 7, Chulo Corti 4, Ahmed Ali Tiwana 1. Total: 12 
HN POLO: Raja Mikail Sami 4, Santiago Loza 3, Raja Jalal Arslan 1, Haider Naseem 1. Total: 9 
UMPIRES: John Fisher & Chris Hyde.   
MATCH # 12: MASTER PAINTS 9-8 FG POLO 
MASTER PAINTS: Pelayo Berazadi 4, Manuel Crespo 2, Sufi Muhammad Haroon 2, Agha Musa Ali Khan 1. Total: 9 
FG POLO: Juan Ambroggio 3, Ramiro Zavaleta 2, Mian Abbas Mukhtar 2, Saqib Khan Khakwani 1. Total: 8 
UMPIRES: John Fisher & Chris Hyde.