PBG Risala outclass ASC to clinch Zameen National Open Polo title

LAHORE: President’s Bodyguard (PBG) Risala outclassed ASC by 12-6 to clinch the Zameen National Open Polo Championship for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup, which concluded here at the jam-packed Lahore Polo Club ground on Sunday.

PBG Risala has won this title after 43 years. Their last title came in 1977.

High-flying Nicholas A Recaite was the hero of the final as he smashed seven goals. Raja Mikael Sami hammered a hat-trick and spirited Hamza Mawaz Khan banged in a beautiful brace.

Eulogio Celestino played well for ASC and contributed with a hat-trick, while Dr Shahzad struck two goals. Mumtaz Abbas Niazi struck one.

ASC dominated the final right from the word go as they hit two back-to-back goals — one each by Mumtaz and Celestino. Soon Hamza came from behind and fired in a field goal for PBG to reduce the margin to 2-1. Celestino then had the possession of the ball and successfully put it into the poles to strengthen the ASC lead to 3-1.

PBG fought back and scored two fabulous field goals to level the scores. After that, both the sides tried their best to score. ASC succeeded to fire in one more through Celestino to make it 4-3.

PBG made another comeback by striking two tremendous field goals through Nicholas Recaite to get 5-4 lead.

PBG fired in five goals to take their lead to 10-4. This time, Nicholas Recaite contributed with a hat-trick and Raja Mikael with a brace.

In the last part of the match, both sides struck twice. From PBG, Nicholas pumped in a brace while Shahzad banged in a brace for ASC.

Jahangir Khan Tareen graced the final as the chief guest, and, along with Zameen.com CEOs Imran Ali Khan and Zeeshan Ali Khan, distributed prizes and shields among the players.

Raja Mikael Sami was awarded the most valuable Pakistani player award. The most valuable foreign player award was clinched by Nicholas A Recaite. The player of the final award went to Mumtaz, emerging talent award went to Raha Jalal Arslan, highest goal scorer award to Nicholas, best playing polo pony (local) to Magic owned by Lt Col Rabnawaz Tiwana, best playing polo pony (foreign) owned by Mir Shoaib Ahmed, the best player award of -2 to 0 category to Agha Adam Ali Khan, the best player 0 to 2 category to Daniyal Sheikh and the best player award 2 to 4 category to Raja Samiullah.

Earlier, in the subsidiary final, Pebble Breaker overwhelmed Guard Group/Artema Medical by 11-5. Juan Cruz Losada and Ahmed Ali Tiwana played equally well for Pebble Breaker and contributed with a quartet each. Raja Jalal Arslan banged in a brace and Bilal Haye scored one. From Guard Group/Artema Medical, Raja Temur Nadeem hammered a hat-trick while Taimur Ali Malik thrashed in two goals.