Sports Bulletin

LAHORE (SBR): The Patrons Aibak Polo Cup 2024 commenced with great fanfare under the auspices of Lahore Polo Club.  During a packed press conference, Lahore Polo Club President Malik Azam Hayat Noon, alongside event sponsors, officially announced the start of tournament. Highlighting its historical significance, Azam Hayat Noon emphasised that the Aibak Polo Cup is a proud legacy of the Lahore Polo Club, paying tribute to Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, a key historical figure in the subcontinent’s history. The Aibak Polo Cup is named after Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, who was not only a warrior but also an avid polo player. Polo, known as "The Game of Kings," held great importance during his reign. Sultan Aibak tragically passed away in Lahore in 1210 after falling from his horse while playing polo. To honor his contributions to history and the sport, the Aibak Polo Cup has been a prominent fixture in Lahore Polo Club’s calendar for decades, preserving the legacy of the great leader and the club’s deep connection to the game. The press conference was attended by Executive Committee members Naseer Ahmed and Feroze Gulzar, along with key sponsors, including Taimur Ali Malik of Guard Group, Mir Huzaifa Ahmed of Diamond Paints, Dr. Faisal Qadeer Khokhar of Remington Pharma, Sardar Mohsin Atta Khosa of Pebble Breaker, Farooq Amin Soofi of Master Paints, Adnan Jalil Azam of Newage Cables, Nafees Barry of The Retro Bar, Abu Bakar Siddique of Black Horse Paints and Salman Akram of OD Donuts.  According to Malik Azam Hayat Noon, ten teams are participating in the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A consists of Diamond Paints, Newage Cables, PAF, Rijas/Master Paints, and Master Paints while Group B comprises Army, IS/SQ/Platinum, PB, FG/Din, and BN Polo. The event’s sponsors include Diamond Paints, Master Paints, Newage Cables, Remington Pharma, Guard Group, Pebble Breakers, The Retro Bar, Platinum Homes, OD Donuts, and Black Horse Paints. The week-long tournament will feature two matches daily, with the grand final scheduled for Sunday. This eight-goal competition has attracted top-tier players from the UK, Iran, Argentina, and Pakistan, promising enthralling and exciting polo action throughout the event. With its rich heritage and global participation, the Patrons Aibak Polo Cup continues to uphold the traditions of polo, celebrating both its historical roots and modern-day excellence. Meanwhile, four matches were decided on the opening day of the prestigious tournament. In the first match, Diamond Paints defeated Newage Cables by 8-6. In other matches of the day, Master Paints beat PAF by 4-2, Rijas/Master Paints edged out Master Paints by 4-3 while Rijas/Master Paints outclassed PAF by 7-2.

Saim, Chengiz, Akbar Aurangzeb, Saad Mirza, Mohammad Ali, Hashim display a sparking gameAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD:-Hosts Islamabad Club Junior Polo player overcame tourist Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, United Arabs Emirates (UAE) 6-5 in the second exhibition contest of a 2-match tie here at Islamabad Club Polo Ground on Sunday, as the first match ended a 4-4 draw on Saturday at the same venue.Pakistani players, who were in white shirts, started the game with a bang by scoring the first goal very quickly when Abdullah hit the ball in the goalpost on a pass from Saim Abbas. However, the local guys could not maintain their lead for a long time, as the very next minute when Charlie Matthews scored the goal for UAE. Both teams missed a couple of occasions to get the lead in the first chukker that finished 1-1 square.In the second chukker, Saim Abbas, Saad Mirza, and Chengaz Lagahri were dominating, as joint efforts were made by the Pakistani horsemen. Saad Mirza gave his side 2-1 lead by scoring a tremendous goal. Saim Abbas doubled by making the third goal in the second chukker. Pakistan were ahead 3-1 after the completion of the first half of the match.Hosts players maintained the same pace in the penultimate chukker of the international junior fixture, as they added two more goals to their total. Saim Abbas and Saad Mirza displayed excellent skills of the game of polo and hit the ball right on target and scored 4th and 5th goals respectively. Islamabad Club players were 5-1 ahead after 3rd chukker.The last and final chukker was a thrilling contest, as both teams fought bravely. Although Dubai Club wasted a free penalty back-to-back twice. Later, they succeeded in reducing the deficit by scoring two goals in quick succession. Ayden Al Ahmed, and Charlie Matthews scored two goals each for their team. Hashim Waheed did well in the last chukker with his mallet. Pakistan finished the match at 6-5 to secure the series 1-0.At the closing ceremony, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salim Al-Zaabi was chief guest and he distributed the prizes among the players. Additionally, Islamabad Club Administrator Dr Touqeer Shah, Col Gill, Sohail Shigri, Hashim Asad, Haider Asad, diplomats from various countries, dignitaries, and polo enthusiasts gathered in large numbers to witness and enjoy the enthralling encounter.The Dubai team comprised Hassan Al Abbar, Ayden Al Ahmed, Charlie Matthews, and Harmes Werle, with Lisa Mathews as the team manager and Jan Azam as the team coach. The Islamabad Club Polo Team consisted of Chengiz Khan Leghari, Akbar Aurangzeb, Saad Mirza, Mohammad Ali Malik, Hashim Waheed, and Saim Abbas.    

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD:-The first match of the 2game tie between the junior teams of Islamabad Club and Dubai Polo & Equestrian ended a 4-4 draw, which was played here at Islamabad Club Polo Ground (ICPG) on Saturday. The second match will be played on Sunday at the same venue.The Islamabad Club is hosting for the first time a series of exhibition matches aiming to encourage young talented polo lads to excel at the international level. The visiting team consisted of Hassan Al Abbar, Ahmed, Charlie Matthews, and Harmes Werle while the host team was comprised Chengiz Khan Leghari, Akbar Aurangzeb, Saad Mirza, Mohammad Ali Malik, Hashim Waheed, and Saim Abbas.Lisa Mathews Team Manager is the team manager while Jan Azam team coach of the UAE team. 

Sports Bulletin Report Johannesburg (South Africa):-Pakistan's national polo team will take on arch-rival India on September 9, 2022 at in the Zone E World Cup playoffs at Johannesburg South Africa. According to an official of Pakistan Polo Federation (PPF), the matches of the Federation of International Polo (FIP) World Cup Zone E will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, where Pakistan team will play against arch-rivals India. Pakistan will have horse trials at the East Rand Polo Club on September 7, while practice Chukkers will be played on September 8. The national polo team will play its match against India at the Inanda Polo Club on September 9, while the second match will be played at the East Rand Polo Club on September 11.  Captain Raja Samiullah said: “Pakistan Polo Association (PPA) has worked very hard on the team. On behalf of the entire team, he expressed special thanks to PPA Chairman Lt. Gen. Azhar Saleh Abbasi and Secretary Lt. Col. Ayaz Ahmed, thanks to whose hard work, Pakistan polo team reached Johannesburg to play the match against India”.  “Raja Taimur Nadeem and Ahmed Ali Tiwana, will come from England to join the team at Johannesburg. “Hopefully, it will be a good match against India and the team will try to give their best against our neighbours and try to win the crucial match. We need prayers from the entire nation for our good show against the arch-rivals.” “Under-20 players Raja Mikayel and Raja Jalal Arsalan are also participating in the team and their presence is a very welcome thing for the future of polo in Pakistan. “Apart from this, three reserves players Lt Col (R) Omar Minhas, Imran Shahid and Shehzad Ahmed will also accompany the team. We expect good polo matches and hopefully, Pakistan team will try to win the crucial match.” Pakistan Squad: Four-goaler Raja Sami Ullah-led national team which includes Hamza Mohammad Mawaz Khan (four-goaler), Ahmed Ali Tiwana (three-goaler), Raja Taimur Nadeem (three-goaler), Raja Mikayel Sami (three-goaler) and Raja Jalal Arsalan (three-goaler) while Brig (R) Badar Zaman is the team manager.