LAHORE – Atif Tiwana and Saqib Khan Khakwani showed gutsy control to lead Rijas into the main final, to be played on Sunday after facing tough resistance from National Bank in the league match of the Cool & Cool Lahore Open Polo Cup here on Friday.
Rijas won over National Bank 6-5. Both the teams were going neck and neck until the fourth chukker, when Faisal Shahzad brought parity for Rijas. That forced the game to enter the fifth quarter to decide the fate of the match. Saqib got an opportunity to land a long distance lofted shot right in between the two poles, and he lived up to the task to book a place for his team in the final.
Zain Khan Khakwani’s solo drive put National Bank in the lead, but Saqib got an opportunity to level the score after a long chase. Zain again provided the lead to the bankers with a cut shot, but Atif leveled the score, and then put Rijas in the lead.
Ahmed Ali Tiwana scripted three goals for National Bank, while Atif managed one more. The bankers still had a one-goal lead as the game entered the fourth chukker. Shahzad stepped in to level the score and Saqib hit the golden goal in the fifth chukker.
