While the eyes of the world are on the Dubai Gold Cup Series and the season in Wellington, Pakistan is hosting one of its most important tournaments. With seven teams and several high goal players, the Diamond Paints National Championship for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup is taking place at the Lahore Polo Club. The final is scheduled for March 18.
Prior to the current tournament, the Aibak Polo Cup and the Punjab Polo Cup (both up to 14-goals) were held. Barry’s, a team which has Argentine Silvestre Garros as coach, claimed both titles (in the Punjab Polo Cup they beat Master Paints/Rizvi’s 7-6 with 5 goals from Tito Ruiz Guiñazú).
“In February we played up to 12-goals, and now in March we play three 14-goal tournaments,” shares Garros. “We were lucky to win the firsts two and now we are ready for the third, the most important in Pakistan.”
“I am really surprised about the level of polo here,” he continues. “This is not a usual polo destination, but they play 14-goal polo with very good players. The fields have improved and we the food is great! Everywhere you go people are friendly. I think that what is to come will be even better, and they want to bring more high goal players next year.”
National Championship results so far:
•Day 1:
Diamond Paints 6-5 Master Paints/Rizvis
Top Scorers Diamond Paints: Marcos Araya 2, Mir Huzaifa Ahmed 2, Eulogio Celestino Olariaga 2.
Top Scorers Master/Rizvi’s: Juan Cruz Losada 4, Saqib Khan Kahkwani 1.
Army 9-8 Newage/BBJ Pipes
Top Scorers Army: Ignacio Negri 7, Brig Zulfiqar Ali Baig 1, Miguel Luis Duggan 1.
Top Scorers Newage/BBJ Pipes: Salvador Ulloa 5, Ahmed Zubair Butt 1, Adnan Jalil Azam 1.
Barry’s 8-5 Master Paints Blacks
Top Scorers Barry’s: Tito Ruiz Guiñazú 4, Bilal Haye 2, Ramiro Zavaleta 2.
Top Scorers Master Paints: Gerardo Mazzini 3, Hissam Ali Hyder 2.
•Day 2:
Barry’s 10-7 Newage/BBJ Pipes
Top Scorers Barry’s: Tito Ruiz Guiñazú 7, Ramiro Zavaleta 2, Bilal Haye 1.
Top Scorers Newage/BBJ Pipes: Salvador Ulloa 6, Ahmed Zubair Butt 1.
Army 9-3 Rijas Aces/PAF
Top Scorers Army: Ignacio Negri 7, Brig Zulfiqar Ali Baig 1, Major Omer Minhas 1.
Top Scorers Rijas Aces/PAF: Diego Araya 3.
Master Paints/Rizvi’s 6-5 Master Paints Black
Top Scorers Master Paints/Rizvi’s: Hamaza Mawaz Khan 3, Saqib Khan Khakwani 2, Juan Cruz Losada 1.
Top Scorers Master Paints Black: Gerardo Mazzini 3, Hissam Ali Hyder 2, Raja Mikael Sami 1.
Teams:
Diamond Paints: Mir Huzaifa Ahmed 1, Mumtaz Abbas Naizi 2, Eulogio Olariaga 4, Marcos Araya 7. Total: 13.
Master Paints/Rizvi’s: Farooq Amin Sufi 0, Saqib Khan Khakwani 4, Hamza Mawaz Khan 4, Juan Cruz Losada 6. Total: 14.
Master Paints Black: Sufi Muhammad Amir 1, Sufi Muhammad Haris 1, Gerardo Mazzini 6, Hissam Ali Hyder Namoo 6. Total: 14.
Barry’s: Nafees Barry 0, Bilal Haye 2, Ramiro Zavaleta 4, Tito Ruiz Guiñazú 8. Total: 14.
Newage/BBJ Pipes: Adnan Jalil Azam 1, Ahmed Zubair Butt 2, Ahmed Ali Tiwana 4, Salvador Ulloa 7. Total: 14.
Army: Brig. Zulfiqar Ali Beg 1, Maj. Omar Minhas 2, Miguel Luis Duggan 4, Ignacio Negri 7. Total: 14.
Rijas Aces/PAF: Faisal Shahzad/Irfan Sheikh 0, Salman Cheema 1, Juan Cruz Araya 4, Diego Araya 7. Total: 12.