Master Paints/Efu Insurance clinched the Royal Marketing Pakistan Polo Cup after overpowering Master Paints Black by 51/2-2 in the final played here at the Lahore Polo Club ground on Sunday. Hat-trick boy Hamza Mawaz Khan was key contributor in Master Paints/Efu Insurance triumph while Edward Banner Eve slammed in the remaining two goals. From Master Paints Black, both the goals were scored by Bilal Haye.
Hamza Mawaz scored the opening goal for Master Paints/Efu to give 1-0 lead in the first chukker. Master Paints Black bounced back in the second chukker and leveled the score 1-1 through Bilal Haye. Hamza once again provided 2-1 lead to his team which was once again equalized 2-2 by Blacks through Bilal Haye. Edward Banner pumped in the only goal of the third chukker to give Master Paints/Efu 3-2 edge while the fourth and last chukker was also fully dominated by Master Paints/Efu as they banged in a brace - one goal each from Hamza and Edward - to finish the match having 5-2 lead. Master Paints/Efu had also half goal handicap advantage which helped them win the match 51/2-2. Major Omer Minhas and Eulogio Celestino supervised the match as field umpires. Eulogio Celestino helped Diamond Paints beat ZTBL by 7-61/2 to win the subsidiary final. Eulogio scored five out of seven goals while Omar Asjad Malhi and Mir Huzaifa Ahmad struck one goal each to the complete the tally.
From ZTBL, Saqib Khan Khawani though played superb polo and struck four goals while Raja Arslan Najeeb scored two but their efforts were futile in the end. Major Omer Minhas and Luis Mighal Duggan officiated the match as field umpires.
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Malik Tahir Javed graced the final as chief guest while Irfan Shaikh and Faisal Shaikh of sponsors, Lahore Polo Club president Irfan Ali Hyder, LPC executive committee members Umer Sadik, Omar Niazi, Saqib Khan Khakwani, secretary Colonel Shoaib Aftab (retd), families of players and members and a great number of polo enthusiasts were also present on the occasion and enjoyed the enthralling final.