LAHORE: Team FG/Asean lifted the 14th Lahore Open Polo Championship 2025 – Patrons Cup after edging out Diamond Paints 8-7 in a thrilling sudden-death extra-time final at the Lahore Polo Club.
A large number of spectators and families turned up to witness the grand final of the prestigious championship. Distinguished guests included Diamond Paints CEO Mir Shoaib Ahmed, Master Paints Director Sufi Muhammad Haroon, Black Horse Paints CEO Chaudhry Muhammad Siddique, Guard Group Director Taimur Ali Malik, Newage Cables Director Adnan Jalil Azam, Remington Pharma Director Dr Faisal Qadeer Khokhar, The Retrieve Bar CEO Nafees Barry, Babar Naseem, AOS Director Hamza Ali Hakim, along with Lahore Polo Club Executive Committee members Raja Aamir, Feroze Gulzar and Saqib Khan Khakwani. A large number of polo players and families were also present.
The final proved to be a high-quality and fiercely contested encounter, with Diamond Paints taking the early initiative. However, FG/Asean mounted a strong comeback in the fourth chukka, inspired by Raja Mikayial Sami’s outstanding performance. The match eventually went into extra time, where FG/Asean sealed the title with a golden goal in sudden death to register an 8-7 victory.
For FG/Asean, Raja Mikhail Sami starred with seven goals, while Saqib Khan Khakwani added one. Diamond Paints’ goals came through Raja Jalal Arsalan, who scored five, while Mir Huzaifa Ahmed and Raja Temur Nadeem chipped in with one goal each.
The main final opened with an early field goal from Diamond Paints, giving them a 1-0 advantage, before FG/Asean responded in style with a field goal of their own to level the contest at 1-1. Just before the close of the opening chukka, Diamond Paints struck again to edge ahead 2-1. The second chukka remained finely balanced as both sides traded goals in an entertaining exchange, converting twice each. Diamond Paints, however, managed to maintain a narrow lead, going into halftime at 4-3.
Both teams added one goal apiece in the third chukka, with Diamond Paints continuing to hold the upper hand at 5-4. The intensity peaked in a high-octane fourth chukka, where both outfits displayed exceptional skill and determination. FG/Asean rose to the occasion, netting three crucial goals against two from Diamond Paints to draw level at 7-7 and force the contest into a sudden-death chukka.
In the decisive moment, veteran campaigner Saqib Khan Khakwani delivered under pressure, striking a superb golden goal to seal a dramatic victory for FG/Asean and crown them champions of the Lahore Open Polo Championship 2025.
Earlier, in the third-place playoff, BN Polo defeated Master Paints Black 11-3 to secure third position. In the closing ceremony, Raja Mikayial Sami was awarded the best player of the match, while the best pony of the final award went to “Chakira,” owned by Mir Shoaib Ahmed.
Your consistency in delivering quality information never fails to impress everyone