LAHORE, Nov 21: Taimur Mawaz Khan scored a double hat-trick to bolster Vogue side to a close win by eight-and-a-half goals to eight (8 1/2-8) over Ali Akbar Group (AAG) in the Lt Col Rizvi memorial polo tournament at the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) ground on Wednesday.

Vogue enjoyed half-a-goal’s advantage on the handicap and that proved decisive. The AAG team, helped by six brilliant goals by Sufi Muhammad Haris which included a hat-trick, also put in eight goals.

In another match of the day, Malik Atif Yar Tiwana scored five goals including a hat-trick, to carry Millat Tractors to a narrow 6-5 win over Bizzyday.Com.

The match between Vogue and Ali Akbar Group (AAG) was fiercely-fought. Although Malik Azam Hayat Noon scored first of his two goals on a field effort for AAG but Taimur Mawaz Khan struck thrice for Vogue to complete his first hat-trick. Taimur first converted a 30 yards penalty-hit but thereafter, scored two field goals before the first chukker ended. Thus Vogue led by three-and-a-half goals to one (3 1/2-1).

At beginning of the second chukker, scoring was again begun by AAG when Sufi Haris scored first of his six goals. But Vogue scored two field goals to further increase its lead 5 1/2-2. Taimur put in his and Vogue team’s fourth goal while Lt.-Col. Talha Saeed scored the fifth goal.

AAG tried to catch up with Vogue by doing most of the scoring during the third chukker. At the beginning, Taimur scored his fifth and Vogue side’s sixth goal. Thereafter, AAG struck thrice to narrow the lead to 5-6 1/2.Haris scored his second goal on a 40 yards penalty-hit. Thereafter, he scored a field goal to complete his hat-trick. Haris again converted a 40 yards penalty-hit.

The fourth chukker was evenly shared by the two teams. At its beginning, Taimur scored his sixth and Vogue side’s seventh goal on a spot penalty near the goalpost.Taimur scored his seventh goal on a field effort to complete his second hat-trick. That was Vogue side’s eighth goal. In an effort to catch up with the opposing quartet, AAG could manage to score two goals. Azam Hayat Noon scored AAG’s seventh goal by converting a 30 yards penalty-hit. Haris scored his sixth and AAG’s eighth goal, also converting a 30 yards penalty-hit. The half-a-goal’s advantage on the handicap gave the match to Vogue side.

Malik Atif Yar Tiwana was on a goal-scoring spree for Millat Tractors. But Syed Hassan Raza Gilani opened the scoring for Bizzyday.Com with a field goal. Raja Amer struck back to equalise the score 1-1 before end of the first chukker.

Malik Atif Yar Tiwana scored first of his five goals for Millat tractors on a 40 yards penalty-hit at the start of the second chukker. Hasan Raza Gilani scored his second goal, again crowning a field effort. Faaiz Rahim Khan put in first of his two goals to again put Bizzyday.Com in the lead. But Atif scored his second and Millat Tractors’ third goal on a field effort before conclusion of the second chukker which tied the two teams at 3-3.

Both the goals of the third chukker were put in by hazel-eyed Atif which not only completed his hat-trick but also gave Millat Tractors a 5-3 lead. On both occasions Atif crowned field efforts.

During the fourth chukker, Bizzyday.Com tried to snatch away the advantage from Millat Tractors and came very near to it. Its Umer Sadik scored on a 40 yards penalty-hit. Soon afterwards, Faaiz Rahim Khan scored his second and team’s fifth goal on a 60 yards penalty-hit to make the score 5-5. However, before the conclusion of the match, Atif scored the decisive goal for Millat Tractors, crowning another field effort.