Noida, March 16 – Instrucko narrowly defeated Jindal Panther 8-6 in the final of the Carlos Gracida Memorial Cup, part of the Jindal Polo Spring Season, held at the Jindal Polo Estate in Noida. The closely contested final saw both teams playing aggressively, with the momentum shifting throughout the four chukkas before Instrucko pulled ahead in the final moments to win the title.
Jindal Panther started the match positively, with Juan Gris Zavaleta scoring a brilliant hat-trick in the first chukker, giving his team an early lead. However, Krishna Inkiya countered with two goals for Instrucko, keeping his team in the game. By the end of the first chukker, Jindal Panther led narrowly, 3-2.
In the second chukker, both teams continued to attack vigorously. Naveen Jindal scored for Jindal Panther, increasing their lead, but Instrucko stayed in the game with a goal from Phil Seller. This kept the match closely contested, with Jindal Panther leading 4-3 at halftime.
Instrucko gained momentum in the third chukker as Phil Seller scored again, and Krishna Inkiya added another goal. Meanwhile, for Jindal Panther, Juan Gris Zavaleta scored, leaving the penultimate chukker tied at 5-5.
In the final fourth chukker, Krishna Inkiya netted his fourth goal of the game, while Siddhant Sharma also contributed for Instrucko by scoring two vital goals to widen their lead. Jindal Panther tried to catch up with Juan Gris Zavaleta, who scored another goal, but the gap remained difficult to close.
Instrucko secured an 8-6 win with a composed finish in the final moments, claiming the Carlos Gracida Memorial Cup after an exciting final that added another thrilling chapter to the Jindal Polo Spring Season at the Jindal Polo Estate.
The tournament honoured the legacy of Carlos Gracida, a legendary polo player celebrated as one of the sport's greatest figures. Renowned for his exceptional skill and multiple U.S. Open Polo Championship wins, the Memorial Cup commemorates his inspiring influence on international polo and gathers top players during India’s lively spring polo season.