CHITRAL: Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) emerged victorious in the final of the Shandur Polo Festival, defeating arch-rivals Chitral 6-5 in a thrilling contest at the world’s highest polo ground and ending a 15-year wait for the prestigious title.
The match began with Chitral taking an early lead as captain Izhar Ali Khan opened the scoring in the very first minute, followed by another goal from Nasirullah. However, GB fought back strongly and levelled the score with two quick goals by the ninth minute.
The first half concluded with Chitral holding a narrow 5-4 advantage. In a dramatic finish, Zulfiqar scored a vital equaliser for GB in the closing moments before netting the decisive winning goal to secure a memorable triumph for his team.
Chitral’s Arbab Quli missed several scoring opportunities during the match, while Saddam Raji delivered an outstanding performance for GB and was named Man of the Match.
The encounter also saw two GB players suffer injuries and leave the field. Consequently, both teams competed with four players each during the second half.
Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Umar Ahmed Bukhari presented the championship trophy to the winning team and distributed prizes among the players.
Historically, Chitral remains the most successful side in the tournament with 17 titles, while Gilgit-Baltistan has now increased its tally to 14 championships.
The festival attracted thousands of visitors from across Pakistan and abroad, with an estimated 30,000 spectators from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan attending the event to witness the traditional free-style polo competition.
Organised annually by the governments of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Shandur Polo Festival is held during June and July and serves as a major tourism and cultural attraction.
Besides polo matches, the festival highlights the region’s rich cultural heritage through colourful cultural performances, traditional music, paragliding demonstrations and angling competitions.
