PBG wallop 4 Corps 6-5½ to win Jubilee Insurance-Corps Commander Polo Cup 2020

PBG edged out 4 Corps by 6-5½ to clinch the Jubilee Insurance-sponsored Corps Commander Polo Cup, which concluded successfully at the Lahore Garrison Polo Club (LGPC).

Corps Commander Lahore Lt Gen Majid Ehsan (Hilal-e-Imtiaz Military) graced the concluding ceremony as chief guest and distributed prizes and shields among the winners. GOC 11 Div Maj Gen Muhammad Yousaf Majoka, GOC 10 Div Maj Gen M Aniq-ur-Rehman Malik, LGPC President Col (R) Shoaib Aftab, Regional Head Jubilee Insurance Mazhar Fareed, LP&CC Secretary Maj (R) Babar Mehboob, LPGC Secretary Maj (R) Haseeb Minhas and other current and former Army officials and others also witnessed the high-quality polo on offer.

Nicholas A Recaite emerged as hero of the final as he displayed superb polo skills and techniques and hammered a hat-trick of goals while Raja Samiullah banged in a brace and Lt Col Rabnawaz Tiwana converted one goal. From 4 Corps, which had a half goal handicap, Ernesto Trotz fired in all the five goals but his efforts were futile in the end.

PBG opened their account by converting a 60-yard penalty to take 1-0 lead, which couldn’t last long as 4 Corps fired in a field goal to equalise the score at 1-all. In the second chukker, 4 Corps converted a 40-yard penalty to have 2-1 edge but PBG bounced back in style and hammered a hat-trick of goals to gain a healthy 4-2 lead.

The third chukker was fully dominated by 4 Corps as they thrashed two back-to-back goals to square the things at 4-all. Both the sides fought well against each other in the fourth and decisive chukker, where PBG played better polo against 4 Corps as they converted two goals against one by 4 Corps to win the final by 6-5½.

After winning the title, PBG Captain Lt Col Rab Nawaz Tiwana said: “The PBG won a high-goal polo event after a long gap of 20 years and this was the result of hard work and team effort. Nicholas A Recaite led the team from front while he was ably assisted by the fellows and the team played like a unit, which helped it grab the title. This title victory further encouraged us to win more upcoming 12-goal events. We are working very hard and we will try to register more title triumphs.”

Earlier in the subsidiary final, helped by Mariano Regal’s seven goals, Millennium Movers defeated Guard Group by 9.5-4. Besides Mariano, Bilal Haye slammed in the remaining two goals. From Guard Group, Manuel Eduardo Carranza converted two goals while Ahmed Bilal Riaz and Hamza Mawaz Khan contributed with one goal each.