FG Polo edged Diamond/Master Paints 5-4 to secure a place in the final league decider of the 63rd Allied Bank National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup 2026 at Lahore Polo Club on March 6.
The outcome means both FG Polo and Diamond/Master Paints have advanced to the main final set for Sunday at 3:00 PM, while BN Polo were eliminated from title contention after two successive defeats.
FG Polo’s comeback was driven by a remarkable display from Raja Mikayial Sami, who finished with four goals, supported by Amin Rehman’s penalty strike. For Diamond/Master Paints, Sufi Haroon bin Haris scored twice, and Raja Temur Nadeem and Facundo Retamar contributed one goal each.
The contest was a tactical battle across five chukkas. Diamond/Master Paints began strongly as Raja Temur Nadeem opened the scoring with a field goal and Sufi Haroon followed to make it 2-0. Sufi Haroon extended the advantage early in the second chukka to 3-0 before FG Polo responded late in the period when Raja Mikayial Sami converted a penalty to put them on the board.
FG Polo continued their recovery in the third chukka when Amin Rehman scored a penalty and Raja Mikayial Sami levelled the game at 3-3. The fourth chukka saw Facundo Retamar restore a 4-3 lead for Diamond/Master Paints with a field goal. The decisive phase came in the fifth chukka, where Raja Mikayial Sami struck twice in succession to turn the score around and clinch a 5-4 victory for FG Polo in the final moments.
The result highlights FG Polo’s resilience and sets up a high-stakes final between two of Pakistan’s leading polo sides at the Lahore Polo Club this Sunday.
