Ittehad Textiles and Master Paints/Newage qualified for the Hamdan Holdings Aibak Polo Cup 2017 main final after defeating their respective opponents here at the Lahore Polo Club on Friday. The first encounter of the day was played between Master Paints (Blacks) and Ittehad Textiles. It was started from the last match's four chukkers where Ittehad Textiles were leading the match by 7-2. The fifth chukker saw Master Paints starting agressively and thwarting a quartert to reduce the margin to 7-6. Ittehad Textiles staged a comeback and slammed a brace to strengthen their lead to 9-6.

The sixth chukker of the match saw total dominance of Ittehad Textiles who hammered a hat-trick to make it 12-6. The only goal of seventh chukker came from Marcelo Pascual to reduce the margin to 12-7. In the eighth and last chukker, Master Paints struck two to make it 12-9 but Ittehad converted one in the dying moments to finish the match at 13-9.

From the winning side, Saqib Khan Kahkwani thwarted three goals, Guy Gilbert two and Mumtaz Abbas one. From the losing side, Marcelo Pascual hit a quartet, Bilal Haye two and Ahmed Ali Tiwana one.

The second encounter of the day was contested between Master Paints/Newage and Barry's and the former won the thriller by 5-4 to book berth in the main final.

From the winning side, Juan Cruz Losada smashed fabulous four goals while Hissam Ali Hyder contributed one. From the losing side, George Meyrick and Hamza Mawaz Khan scored two goals each.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017