HT This Day: March 16, 1975 -- India win World Cup

- India, who dominated world hockey from 1928 to 1960 but fell back for more than a decade, regained their past glory when they decisively beat traditional rivals Pakistan in the third World Cup hockey tournament before a sell-out crowd at the Merdeka Stadium here today

- India, who dominated world hockey from 1928 to 1960 but fell back for more than a decade, regained their past glory when they decisively beat traditional rivals Pakistan in the third World Cup hockey tournament before a sell-out crowd at the Merdeka Stadium here today.

HT This Day: March 16, 1975 -- India win World Cup

A snap goal by inside-left Mohamed Saeed in the 18th minute did not deter the Indians who played a fine attacking game throughout and scored twice in the second half to beat Pakistan and take the gold cup in a final that thrilled the 50,000-strong crowd leaving them in no doubt as to which was the superior team.

The packed stadium cheered wildly when the entire Indian team threw their hockey sticks and jerseys to celebrate their richly merited victory. The crowd then began to fight for the souvenirs, many getting only, strands of the light-blue shirts.

A mighty roar rent the air again when Indian team captain and centre-half Ajitpal Singh walked up to the dais to receive the gold cup worth ₹six lakhs, originally donated by Pakistan, from Malayslan Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak marking the grand finale of the 15-day competition in which 12 nations took part.

The last time that India asserted their world supremacy in hockey was in 1964 when they captured the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In the Mexico and Munich Olympics they could only finish third.

In the first World Cup at Barcelona too they were able to collect only the bronze medal. In the second World Cup at Amsterdam, they came close to winning, but threw away their final game after leading 2-0 against Holland, the eventual winners, who first drew level and then scraped in on penalty strokes (3-2).

India played inspired hockey today and completely outclassed Pakistan who, however, were handicapped by the absence of their star left winger Samiullah who left the field with a suspected collar bone fracture only 12 minutes from the start of the game.

India, who were playing erratically throughout the current tournament, produced their finest form today to give a performance of scintillating hockey. The Indians never wavered or fell back into defence after the 18th minute reverse and their forwards never stopped their relentless pounding of the Pakistani circle.

Pakistan, on the other hand, seemed completely off colour. Unbeaten in the earlier games, they had reached peak form and were favoured to win for the second time the coveted gold cup.

The match, which was played under brilliant sun on a perfect pitch, was watched by Tun Abdul Razak, Cabinet Ministers and other dignitaries. The presentation of the cup to the winners over, almost immediately it began to rain.

Rain, incidentally, had played havoc with the tournament forcing abandonment of several games and postponement of many others.

Both teams trooped into the field 25 minutes before the scheduled starting time and received tremendous cheers from the crowd, the biggest ever seen in a World Cup hockey final. Among the crowd were large groups of Indians and Pakistanis who waved the flags of their respective countries.

India played an aggressive but comparatively clean game throughout, but Pakistan often resorted to rough body-tackling, especially in the second half. The main victim was right winger Victor Phillips.

Pakistan attacked right from the bully-off and in the first minute skipper Islahuddin made a dangerous move to dribble past two Indian defenders and approach the circle but was stopped in time by skipper Ajitpal Singh.

Pakistan were awarded their first penalty-corner in the next minute for an infringement in the circle, but Mansur-ul-Hassan, who took the bit, was pulled up for sticks.

The resilient Indians then sprung into the attack and for the next 10 minutes play was confined to the Pakistan half. Only once did Pakistan venture into the Indian territory when, in the seventh nunute, Azam worket the ball upto the circle but lost it in a tussle with Varinder Singh.

Ajitpal, with his brilliant tackling and uncanny anticipation, was not only the anchor sheet of the defence kne. but was the main schemer in the offensive moves as well.

The game was only 12 minutes old when Pakistan’s star left winger Samiuliah had to leave the ground following an injury which he sustained from a fall. He sprinted down the left flank and made a quick turn to hit the ball towards the goal. In that process, he fell and could not continue any more. 110 was later taken to hospital on a stretcher and is suspected to have fractured his collar bone. This was a major blow for Pakistan. Safdar Abbas came m his place.

India had a penalty-corner in the 16th minute but they wasted it. In the 18th minute, Pakistan opened the account when Mohamed Saeed was left unguarded and, following a defensive error, he collected the ball, ran down the left flank and flicked beyond Ashok Dewan’s reach.

In the 27th minute India had a free hit outside the Pakistan circle. Harcharan Singh’s shot was deflected by a Pakistani defender and then by goalkeeper Sherwani and went into the goal. Umpire Renaud of France, gave a long-corner to India amidst protest by Indian players.

India, although not getting the goal, were in full command of the game and their forwards were moving in waves into the Pakistan circle. Dangerman Phillips, who could not be checked on the right flank, was time and again brought down by body tackle. This later proved costly for Pakistan.

Two minutes before half time, Saleem Sherwani brought off a brilliant save off a penalty-corner hit taken by Aslam Sher Khan. This was awarded when Phillips was checked with the body by Mansur.

Pakistan were one goal up at half time.

India kept up the offensive on resumption and their forwards again menaced the Pakistani defence. Play at this stage was mostly confined to the Pakistan goal area.

In the 38th minute, Ajitpal was shown the green card by Malaysian umpire Vijaynathan for dangerous play when he hit Abbas on the chin in a tussle for the ball.

The crowd was now on their feet and thrilled by the Indian forwards brilliant moves and cheered them time and again. Pakistan somehow or other managed to hold their defence line in the face of this fierce onslaught.

The equaliser

In the 44th minute Phillips, on the right flank, ran down beautifully after collecting a pass from Ashok Kumar. As he moved into the circle with the entire Pakistani defence beaten, he was body-checked by Manzur. Umpire Vijayanathan immediately signalled a penalty-corner. Surjit Singh sent the ball crashing into the net for the equaliser.

The stadium reverberated with thunderous applause.

Spurred on by this goal and the vocal support from the crowd, India made several deep raids into the Pakistan area with the Pakistan defence clearing the ball aimlessly.

In the 51st minute Harcharan Singh, another source of trouble for Pakistan on the left flank, dribbled past two defenders and crossed to Phillips. Phillips went past one defender and passed the ball on to Ashok Kumar at the top of the circle. Ashok’s flick from almost 15 yards sailed past Sherwani who was caught flat-footed.

Umpire Vijayanathan blew for a goal, but the entire Pakistani team, including skipper Islahuddin, encircled him to register their protest. The ball had hit the inside edge of the right post after crossing the line and rebounded into play. But the umpire signalled for a bully-off standing by his decision.

After this goal, Pakistan looked like a beaten team and made only one dangerous move into the Indian goal for the rest of the game. On the other hand the Indian forwards whose performance today pleased the crowd, drew circles around the Pakistani defence.

India had a chance to increase their lead five minutes later when Harcharan Singh beat two Pakistant defenders and sent parallel pass to Shivaji Pawar who was only seven yards in front of the goat. But Pawar scooped the ball weakly into Sherwani’s pad.

In the 60th minute, umpire Renaud showed the green card to Pakistan skipper Islahuddin for dangerous play. Two minutes later, Islahuddin broke through the circle but Dewan dived full length to save the situation.

India now took over the attack again and the ball was in midfield when the final whistle was blown.

The Pakistani left the field dejectedly. Some of them were in tears. A few minutes later, the Indian players walked up to them and shook hands with them. They embraced each other to the applause of the crowd.

INDIA: Ashok Dewan; Asiam Sher Khan and Surjit Singh; Varinder Singh. Ajitpal Singh and Mohinder Singh, Victor Phillips, Ashok Kumar, Shivaji Pawar, Govinda and Harcharan Singh.

PAKISTAN: Salim Sherwani; Mansur-ul-Hassan and Munawar-uz-Zaman, Salim Nazim, Akhtar Rasul and Iftikhar Ahmed; Islahuddin, Mohammed Azam, Mansoor Jr, Mohammed Saeed and Samiullah (Abbas).

Umpires: Alain Renaud (France) and Vijayanathan (Malaysia).