HMB emerge Inter-Club Polo champs

LAHORE: MGPC Habib Metropolitan Bank (HMB) outsmarted LGPC Nutraful Warriors by 9-5 ½ in the Silk Bank Inter Clubs Polo Championship 2019 final played here at Lahore Polo & Country Club (LP&CC) on Sunday.

From the winning side, Raja Arslan Najeeb was star of the day by scoring a classic quartet while Farhad Sheikh hammered a hat-trick and Rafay Sheikh and Kashif Jamal struck one goal each. From the losing side, which had a half goal handicap, Shah Shamyl Alam converted four goals while Captain Umair Ghazi scored one goal.

LGPC were off to flying start as they hammered a tremendous hat-trick through Shah Shamyl to take 3-0 lead.

MGPC showed some resistance and converted an impressive goal to reduce the margin to 3-1 by the end of the first chukker. The second chukker saw MGPC stamping out their authority by firing fabulous four goals – two by Farhad Sheikh and one each by Raffay Sheikh and Raja Arslan – to take 5-4 lead.

MGPC continued their dominance in the third chukker as well as they hammered a hat-trick through a brace by Raja Arslan and one goal by Kashif Jamal to strengthen their lead to 8-4.

The fourth and last chukker was evenly poised as both the sides scored one goal each to finish the match at 9-5. With a half goal handicap advantage for LGPC, the final score was 9-5½, declaring MGPC as winners of the Silk Bank Inter Clubs Polo Championship 2019.

Silk Bank Director Shahram Raza Bakhtiari graced the final as chief guest while Hamid Mirza, LP&CC President Col (R) Shoaib Aftab, members, players and their families and polo lovers were also present on the occasion.