Master Paints emerged victorious at the 6th Allama Iqbal Polo Cup 2025-26 with a 6-4 win over BN Polo at Jinnah Polo Fields on Sunday. The tournament, sponsored by Master Paints and held in memory of the late Sufi Haris, drew families, polo fans and representatives from both the sporting and corporate communities.
The final was attended by Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, the widow of the late Sufi Haris Mrs. Fauzia Haris, and members of the Sufi family including directors Sufi Muhammad Amir, Farooq Amin Sufi, Sufi Muhammad Haroon bin Haris and Sufi Hashim bin Haris. Club Secretary Maj Adil Sultan Rao and other officials were also present, underscoring the event’s emotional and commemorative importance in the local polo calendar.
The match opened with Master Paints carving through BN Polo’s defence to score a field goal and take an early lead. The second chukka saw both sides trade goals as the contest remained tight at 2-1 in favour of Master Paints. In the third chukka Master Paints launched a decisive attack, with Iranian forward Amirreza Behboudi producing a brilliant hat-trick during that period and finishing the game with four goals in total, helping his side surge to a 5-2 advantage.
BN Polo fought back in the fourth chukka as Hamza Mawaz Khan rallied his team with two quick goals to close the gap to 5-4, creating a tense finish. In the final moments Master Paints struck a clinical field goal to seal a hard-fought 6-4 victory. Muhammad Ali Malik and Chaudhry Fatah also contributed one goal each for the winning side, while Hamza Mawaz Khan accounted for all four goals for BN Polo.
Amirreza Behboudi was named player of the match for his outstanding display, and the best pony award went to a mare owned by Sufi Muhammad Amir, adding to the evening’s honours. Earlier in the day PB Polo won the subsidiary final, defeating Team Balochistan 10-6 in an entertaining contest.
Speaking after the game, winning captain Sufi Muhammad Haroon bin Haris described the result as deeply emotional and said it was a matter of immense pride to win a tournament dedicated to his father’s memory. He praised his team’s spirit and hard work and said continuing Sufi Haris’ legacy through sport was a great honour.
The Allama Iqbal Polo Cup once again demonstrated its appeal across Lahore’s sporting community, combining high-quality polo with a memorable tribute to a respected local figure and drawing significant support from both families and corporate sponsors.
