Polo: Chitral win Shandur final

GILGIT:

Chitral’s polo team thrashed Gilgit 10-5 and reclaimed the ‘lost pride’, avenging last year’s defeat against traditional rivals Gilgit in a one-sided final of the Shandur Polo Festival held at the world’s highest ground.

The final was witnessed by nearly 9,000 spectators, including foreigners, as Chitral lifted the trophy, a reversal of last year’s 7-4 loss, amid drum beats by their supports. Besides the polo event approximately 12,000 feet above sea level, the three-day festival also included events that showcased the cultural beauty of Chitral and Gilgit, including tug of war and paragliding.

Gilgit-Baltistan governor Pir Karam Ali Shah was the chief guest for the final and handed over the winning trophy.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2012.