Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Nov 20 (APP): Diamond Paints/FG Polo qualified for the main final of the Lt Gen Shah Rafi Alam Memorial Polo Cup 2020 after beating Barry’s by 8-5 in the first semifinal played here at the Lahore Polo Club ground on Friday.
The heroics of Tom Brodie and Mian Abbas Mukhtar helped Diamond Paints/FG Polo make way to the main final. Both hammered a hat-trick each from the winning side while the remaining contribution came from Saqib Khan Khakwani and Mir Shoaib Ahmed, who hit one goal apiece.
Ernesto Oscar Trotz was the key contributor from the losing side, who thrashed three goals while Hamza Mawaz Khan contributed two goals.
Diamond Paints/FG Polo started the match with a field goal to gain 1-0 lead, which was soon equalised when Barry’s successfully converted a 30-yard penalty to finish the first chukker at 1-all.
Barry’s dominated the second chukker by hammering a hat-trick of goals against one goal by Diamond Paints to take 4-2 lead. Diamond Paints bounced back well in the third chukker to earn 5-4 lead while Barry’s also converted one to make it 5-all.
The fourth and last chukker was fully dominated by Diamond Paints, who thrashed three back-to-back goals to win the encounter by 8-5. Edward Banner Eve and Guy Gibrat officiated the match as field umpires.
Diamond Paints/FG Polo player Mian Abbas Mukhtar, who is also Director Fatima Group, said that the match against Barry’s was a tough one but we played better polo and succeeded in winning the crucial match.
“We are playing like a unit and it is team work as well as hard work, which is the main reason behind our success and hopefully, we will play well in the final as well and try to win the coveted trophy in great style.”
Tomorrow (Saturday), the second semifinal will be played between Price Meter.PK and Master Paints at 3:00 pm. The main and subsidiary finals will be played on Sunday.
