SSC win thriller to annex CM’s Cup

Hyderabad: Suneendra Sports Corporation (SSC) defeated Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club (HPRC) 9-8 in a nail-biting thriller to annex the coveted Chief Minister’s Cup at the Bison Polo Ground here on Saturday. This is the second of the four trophies being played as part of the Hyderabad Polo Season. Team SSC was the joint winners of the first trophy, after the final was washed out due to rain.

In Saturday’s battle among equals, the eventual titlist, comprising of Captain Kanna Phaneendra, Dhruvpal Godhara, Abhimanyu Pathak and Lt Cdr A Panchal were off to a dominating start and were leading 8-4 goals by end of the third chucker. The brilliance of Arjuna awardee Sameer Suhaag brought HPRC back into the game when they drew level at 8-all. But, it was the in-form Dhruvpal, who scored the decisive winner for Team SSC seconds just before the final hooter. Later, Phaneendra, captain of the triumphant team said after receiving the trophy “the victory is a testimony to the standard of polo being played in Hyderabad.”