We had a huge fan following among Indians, recalls Pakistan hockey legend Hassan Sardar

BENGALURU: Hassan Sardar, Pakistan's marauding centre forward of the 80s, evokes awe and admiration in hockey circles. Sardar, whose raids down the middle cut like a knife, ripping apart defences, has a special India connect.
The former Pakistan captain, who turned 61 on Monday, played his first World Cup in Mumbai in 1982 and was adjudged the player of the tournament for his 11-goal effort.Sardar, returned a few months later to help Pakistan to the Asian Games title and again bagged the player of the tournament crown. Sardar, who starred in his country's Olympic Gold in 1984, was at his destructive best in the New Delhi Games final, which Pakistan won 7-1 over India. Watched by a stunned full house, that loss was hard to put away for players and fans.
Rated amongst the best forwards the sport has seen, Sardar holds the unique distinction of having scored in Pakistan's title wins in the Olympics (1984), World Cup and the Asian Games (both 1982). Sardar, who in his playing days was known as much for his tactical acumen as his finesse with the stick, is the manager of the Pakistan team in the ongoing Hero Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat. In a telephone interview with TOI, Sardar spoke of his glory days, Indian hospitality, the current state of Pakistan hockey and the upcoming World Cup in Bhubaneshwar.
Excerpts:
Can you talk about the experience of a Pakistani playing in India?
For anyone travelling from across the border playing in India has always been special. We were always excited about traveling to India because we received a lot of warmth from people and the crowd is knowledgeable about the sport. Hopefully it will be the same at the World Cup this year.
It was your exploits at the 1982 World Cup in India that brought you into the limelight, what are your memories of that title triumph?
That World Cup will always be the highlight of my career. It's not often that the stars align the way they did for me in that tournament. It was my first World Cup, I was the player of the tournament and we won the Cup in India. Those are once-in-a lifetime experiences. As a youngster, I couldn't have asked for more. The triumph wasn't easy, but we were confident and were in good form. We faced the Netherlands in the semi-finals and then played and won the final against Germany.
Considering India didn't make it to the knockouts at the World Cup, did you get crowd support?
Of course. We had a huge fan following among Indians. We almost felt like we were playing in front of our home crowd! Players like Samiullah Khan, Akhtar Rasool and Hanif Khan were a huge hit among the spectators. Although India didn't progress to the semi-finals, hockey lovers came to support the Pakistan team in large numbers. That was the beauty of the Indian spectators. They knew their sport and appreciated the skill and talent of players irrespective of the country they represented.
Do you have any off-field memories from Bombay?
Yes, a lot of them. We spent some time in India in the lead-up to the tournament as we played a Test series against them. We loved the food and Bombay is a city which is dear to my heart. Among my best off-field memories of the visit was our meeting with Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip (Kumar) saab and Pran.
Coming to the Asian Games, while the final was a nightmare for India, was it a dream come true for you?
Yes, it was. I think that win in the final against India is one of my best memories. It doesn't happen every day that you win an Asian Games gold beating India 7-1 on their home turf. I still remember that final match like it was yesterday. The atmosphere in the packed stadium was electric. We played in front of a crowd which included the late Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Amitabh Bachchan. The atmosphere was charged. At one point there was an eerie silence in the stadium. The only ones' celebrating was us.
The Indian team faced a backlash after that match, did you face hostility from Indian fans?
Oh no! On the contrary people shared our joy despite the sorrow of their team having lost. We didn't have much time between the victory and our departure to Pakistan, so we made a quick dash to a local market for shopping before we left. To be honest, we were curious about how people would react to us. We were in for a pleasant surprise with the reception we received at the market. They opened their shops and hearts to us. People walked up to us and congratulated us on our win and in many shops they gave us gifts as well! That day, it made us realise what sport meant to Indian fans - it had no boundaries.
Can you talk us through the India-Pakistan rivalry of the 1980s?
It was very intense because both teams had some of the best talents available during those days. Also, hockey during my times was very popular in both the countries. People followed the sport very passionately. In Pakistan, I would say it was more popular than cricket, especially given our success rate. We were a dominant force in world hockey in those days and people on both sides of the border appreciated it.
How was the camaraderie between the teams from either side of the border in your days?
As fierce as the competition was between the two sides on the field, off the field there was great camaraderie. Personally, I had developed a great friendship with the late Surjit Singh. Although he was senior to me, he was a good friend. My rapport with the late Mohd Shahid was similar. As a team we got along very well with players like M M Somaya, Pargat Singh and Mervyn Fernandes as well.
How would you describe the relationship between the present lot of players from India and Pakistan?
I think the rivalry and the sense of competition is still the same. But technology has eaten into the charm of the era gone by. Now the world has become smaller with social media. Back then, we didn't have mobile phones, internet, Facebook or Instagram, which meant we had a lot of catching up to do when we met. But now, they all know what's happening in each other's world. They are well-connected 'virtually'. So, technology, I believe has brought them closer as people.
Likewise, if the diplomatic relationship between the two countries were to improve, then the sport will gain immensely on either side of the border because people love to watch Pakistan play against India in any sport.
Coming to the state of hockey in Pakistan today, how much has chief coach Roelant Oltman's sudden exit impacted the team's World Cup preparation?
He came in just before the Commonwealth Games and there wasn't much he could have done. So, our focus was on the Asian Games and World Cup, but him quitting before the latter has affected our team and its preparations. The boys were comfortable with him and with what they learnt from him. What we are doing now is we are looking to implement and continue to work around what he taught them because they were used to it. We are working hard. We are in a tough pool for the World Cup and the team to beat for us will be Germany. The team is eager to come to India and give its best.