Iftikhar grabs hat trick

Published December 24, 2005

LAHORE, Dec 23: Five goals by Iftikhar Ali Khan Simba, including a hat trick propelled Prime Travels into the final of the Harvester Services Polo Cup beating Millat Tractors 7-3 on Friday.

Prime will face Learning Alliance in the final on Sunday.

The winners led the first chukker 2-1. Indian Vishal Nihalani drew first blood converting a 40-yard penalty hit.

Iftikhar opened his account to double the lead scoring a field goal.

Shahzad Aziz struck a goal for the losers to reduce the margin.

Both teams scored a goal each in the second chukker.

First Abid Nawaz Khan scored for Millat to restore the parity 2-2 but soon Iftikhar pumped in his second to salvage the ascendancy 3-2.

No goal was scored in the third chukker and Iftikhar was at his peak in the fourth chukker, striking again and again to score three goals in a row to increase the lead 6-2.

In the dying minutes Azhar Ali scored a goal for the losers but Vishal again increased the lead, scoring his second, to complete the scoring.

A decisive goal in the fourth chukker by Ahmed Ali Tiwana helped Tri Star beat Harvester 4-3 to qualify for the subsidiary final to be played against Guard Filters on Sunday.

In all, Ahmed scored three goals. The remaining one goal was scored by Saeed Aslam Khan.

For losers, Hissam Ali Hyder scored all three goals.

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