Diamond Paints, Master Paints win thrillers in sudden-death finishes
LAHORE: Diamond Paints and Master Paints opened their campaigns in the 14th Major General Saeed-uz-Zaman Janjua Memorial Polo Cup 2026, sponsored by JS Bank, with hard-fought victories in two thrilling matches at Lahore Garrison Polo Grounds.
Diamond Paints edged FG/Din/SQ Polo Team 6-5 in the opening encounter, with the contest decided in sudden death in the fifth chukker after the teams remained locked in a fierce battle.
Raja Jalal Arsalan proved the difference-maker, scoring all six goals for Diamond Paints in an outstanding individual performance. For FG/Din/SQ, Raja Taimur Nadeem and Shiraz Qureshi scored two goals apiece, while Mian Abbas Mukhtar added one.
The second match produced another dramatic finish, as Master Paints defeated AOS 8-7 in the sudden death during the fifth chukker. Agha Musa Ali Khan led the charge for Master Paints with three goals, while Saim Abbas and Ahmed Bilal Riaz contributed two each. Farooq Amin Sufi completed the scoring with one goal.
AOS fought back strongly throughout the contest, with Moisam Haider Baloch, Abdullah Aijaz and Hamza Ali Hakeem scoring two goals each. Col (R) Omer Minhas added one goal, but their efforts ultimately fell just short.
Both matches delivered closely contested polo and dramatic finishes, giving the tournament an exciting start as the participating teams began their pursuit of the prestigious memorial trophy.
