PICIC Insurance trot into final with last-gasp goals

LAHORE PICIC Insurance edged out Lahore Chatkhara/Vogue with two last-gasp goals to qualify for the final of the Zong Aibak Cup at the Lahore Polo Club here on Friday. Both the teams were tied 7-7 by closing stages of the match when Fernando Quinto Bourdieu first converted a 30-yarder and then hit an under-the-neck shot to give his side the winning lead thus returning with 9-7 result. Lahore Chatkhara/Vogue enjoyed two goal handicap but failed to utilize it to their advantage. The Alam duo just did not fire and PICIC riders did not relent. Naveed Sheikh opened the match with two field goals and Shamyl and Qublai gave similar reply. Saqib Khakwani hit a backhand cut shot to give Lahore Chatkhara slender led by the end of the first chukker. PICIC Insurance came back hard in the second chukker with six-goaler Fernando hitting two penalties and Naveed Sheikh adding a field goal after long chase. Saqibs spot penalty took the total to 7-4 up for PICIC Insurance. In the fourth chukker Qublai, Shamyl and Taimur Mawaz Khan converted a goal apiece for Lahore Chatkhara to level the score at 7-7. But just when they needed to keep pressure on, they blinked, and the rest was done by Fernando Quinto Bourdieu to take it to 9-7. PICIC Bank will now face HSBC Bank in the final on Sunday. Maj Haseeb Minhas and Verree officiated the match. Meanwhile, HSBC Bank won their match against Al Khan/Tip Moor by 9 6-1/2. The star-studded HSBC Bank had two top notch players in their ranks - Hissam Ali Hyder and Gaston Moore and both converted four goals apiece. Ignacio Tocalino and Fernando Quinto Bourdieu served as umpires. Teams: LAHORE CHATKHARA/VOGUE: Raja Temur Nadeem, Taimur Mawaz Khan, Shah Shamyl Alam, Shah Qubilai Alam. PICIC INSURANCE: Saqib Khan Khakwani, Atif Tiwana, Fernando Quinto Bourdieu, Naveed M Sheikh. HSBC BANK: Sufi Muhammad Amir, Sufi Muhammad Haris, Hissam Ali Hyder, Gaston Moore. AL KHAN /TIPMOOR: Dr. Iftikhar Ali Khan Simba, Ahmed Ali Tiwana, Tomas Pieres, Hashim Kamal Agha.

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