Iqbal, Hussain score hat-tricks in polo cup.

LAHORE -- Remington Pharma/Guard Group and Diamond Paints won the opening day matches of the Gul Ahmed FIP 104th Ambassador's Polo Cup with Polo in Pink event here at Lahore Polo Club on Tuesday.

Remington Pharma/Guard Group thumped Newage/Pebble Breakers 5-3. Taimur Ali and Dr Faisal Qadeer Khokhar played superbly and contributed two goals each in Remington Pharma/Guard Group's triumph while David Payne struck one.

For the losing side, Alman Jalil Azam struck twice while Mohsin Ata Khan Khosa hit one.

Iqbal Jumbhoy emerged as top scorer with an impressive hat-trick as Diamond Paints defeated Barry's 8-6. Mike Egan and Mir Huzaifa contributed a brace apiece while Mir Shoaib struck a goal.

Hussain Iftikhar also struck a hat-trick for the losing side while Andy Cork scored twice and Joe Meyer contributed one.

Six teams, having two foreign players each, are participating in the event with the final scheduled for Sunday.

Chief organiser Ishaq Khan Khakwani, who is also ambassador of the FIP in the country, said that that the happiest moment for him when the international body informed him that a good number of foreigners had showed the interest in coming to Pakistan for the tournament.

Foreign players competing are David Payne, Mike Egan (Canada), Jason Crane, Nick Gerad, Andy Cork, Rodrick Vere Nicoll (UK), Joe Meyer, Tanvir Khan (US), Kaveh Atrak (Sweden), Ronald Zurcher, Francisco Escobar (Costa Rica) and Iqbal Jumabhoy (Singapore).

Ishaq said that there was no difficult he faced in getting the hosting rights for the tournament from FIP.

He said the tournament, which started 20 years ago, has played a key role in developing relations and understanding among the players of the world.

Malik...