LAHORE - The International Steels Limited National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup will explode into action from today (Tuesday) here at Lahore Polo Club ground.

Lahore Polo Club (LPC) President Malik Atif Yar Tiwana and International Steels Executive Director Samir Chinoy said this while addressing the press conference here on Monday. The LPC President said that top five teams have been contesting in the 14-goal tournament, which are divided into two pools. Pool A consists of Master Paints Black, BBJ Pipes and Master Paints while Pool B comprises Diamond Paints/Newage and Barry’s.

“Top national and international players from Argentina, Chile, Pakistan and the UK, including Nicolas Corti, Saqib Khan Khakwani, Juan Cruz Losada, Hissam Ali Hyder, Hamza Mawaz Khan, Salvador Ulloa, Raja Temur Nadeem, Matias Vial Parez, Ahmed Ali Tiwana, Bautista Bayuger, Raja Samiullah and Bilal Haye will be exhibiting their polo prowess during the 14-goal tournament. The event will take place at the Lahore Polo Club grounds for two weeks, ending on 10th March,” they added.

Top 5 teams participation making 14-goal event more prestigious 

Samir Chinoy said that the International Steels Limited [ISL], the largest Flat Steel manufacturer in Pakistan, announced their patronage of the king of games, polo, with their sponsorship of one the most prestigious sporting tournaments in Asia. “It is a great honor to be here at the Lahore Polo Club and value the opportunity to partner with the Lahore Polo Club for the 2019 Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup one of the most important tournaments in the Pakistan Polo calenderer,” he said.

“Having played in my younger days, I feel humbled to have the opportunity to help promote a sport that bought me much joy and taught me valuable lessons on strategy, teamwork and determination, the same ethos that International Steels has showed since its came into being in 2011,” he said and added: “International Steels believe in being part of shaping tomorrow, which, simply put, is to lead by example and promote brand Pakistan by redefining what it means to be Made in Pakistan.

“We will continue to strive to give back to Pakistan by supporting various initiatives such as the arts and sports and in doing so hope that other corporates follow. I would like to thank the Lahore Polo Club, the patrons, umpires, players both local and foreign, who I hope will be our ambassador as they return to their countries and as the partake in the world polo circuit. I would also like to acknowledge and appreciate  Emran Akhtar for bringing us together with the Lahore Polo Club and with the sport of polo,” Samir Chinoy asserted.

Sharing his views on the occasion, LPC President Malik Atif Yar Tiwana said: “The Lahore Polo Club welcomes International Steels Limited as valuable patrons and champions of the game of kings. We share common values and goals with a shared commitment to Pakistan and its progress and redefining the narrative.

The National Open 2019 promises to be a riveting two weeks of polo with some of the world’s finest polo players flying in to Pakistan to compete for the greatest trophy of the high goal season.”

Highlighting the history of the National Polo Championship, he said that the prestigious championship was first played and introduced in 1963 as the El Effendi Cup presented by Brig HM el Effendi. In 1977, it was renamed as Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup on the direction of government of Pakistan. The tournament has been played for some four decades with popularity all over the polo community domestically and internationally. The final match of the prestigious event will be held on March 10.