Relief.
India have not lost to their neighbours in a decade, with the last setback coming at the 2016 South Asian Games final in Guwahati. Since then, India have won 19 of the 22 matches, with two draws and one no-result. In a throwback moment on Thursday, former centre-forward Ashok Kumar immediately remembered the 1975 World Cup final at the Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, where Pakistan captain Islahuddin Siddiqui walked up to the him just moments before the start. That 1975 final ended in immortal glory for India. Ashok went on to score the winning goal — the most significant hit of his career — to give his team a momentous 2-1 victory, securing India’s first and only World Cup crown.
“That just showed how confident the two teams were back then,” two-time World Cup winner Islahuddin had told this correspondent in an earlier interview. “Ninety per cent of the matches were won by teams which were mentally stronger,” Sardar told HT. With the rise of Indian hockey and the decline of the game in Pakistan, there is no uncertainty about which team starts as favourite. Ashok looked back in utter surprise, reminding his rival that the summit clash was about to start. But Islahuddin only laughed. Seeing his opponent’s persistence, Ashok straightened his hockey stick, rhythmically started beating it and sang the popular track Jai Jai Shiv Shankar . “There was mutual respect between the players too. “When I was captain in Incheon, the crowd was very negative, abused us while we walked back to the stadium at half-time. What is important is to control your mind, stay relaxed and focus on the plan given by the coaches.”
That was the sentiment of most Indian hockey fans after the Harmanpreet Singh-led team escaped with a narrow 4-3 victory over Pakistan following Abhishek’s goal 49 seconds from the hooter.
Ahead of the 2018 World Cup, the team barely secured travel funds at the 11th hour through a private sponsor. Former head coach Siegfried Aikman resigned in 2023 after going unpaid for an entire year.
“Hockey culture has just suddenly died in Pakistan,” the legendary Shahbaz Ahmed, the only player to win back-to-back Player of the Tournament awards at World Cups (1990 and 1994), told HT last year. Conversely, Pakistan’s hockey has plummeted. They failed to qualify for the last three Olympics and two of the last four World Cups. Financial neglect further crippled Pakistani hockey.
