The Autobiography of Balbir Singh (Senior)
By Samuel Banerjee, Vikas Publishers, 1977
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Aslam the Hero |
The night before the semi-final, Aslam asked the doctor for a
sleeping pill. He was restless; he had not been chosen in the first XI.
Dr. Kalra took Aslam to the coffee room. Aslam expressed his doubt to Kalra: he felt he was not being played for communal reasons. Dr. Kalra told him that I was a man who came from a nationalist family with secular views. "Maybe Allah has a play for you." |
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verything
was arrayed against India in the semi-final. Malaysians were playing in top form
and in front of home crowds. The match was as decisive for Malaysia as it was
for India.
The night before the semi-final, at around 11:30 pm, Aslam knocked on the door of the doctor Rajinder Kalra and asked for a sleeping pill. Aslam was restless; he had not been chosen in the first XI.
Kalra refused to give him the sleeping pill. Instead, he took Aslam downstairs to the coffee room. It was over coffee that Aslam expressed his doubt to Kalra: he felt he was not being played for communal reasons.
Kalra told him that I was interested in fielding him, and that I was a man who came from a nationalist family with absolutely secular views. "Maybe Allah has a play for you."
10 minutes before the final whistle, with India trailing Malaysia by a goal, Aslam became the hero of the day. With the minutes ticking away, I beckoned to Aslam to go in as a substitute. I signed the substitution card, embraced Aslam, kissed his amulet, after which the sturdy defender ran in.
I wanted to pull out Surjeet Singh, but Bodhi did not agree on the plea that Surjeet was too sensitive a player and would break down if he were called out. Aslam was brought in at the cost of Kindo, a better defender and tackler than Surjeet.
3 minutes before the close, India was awarded a penalty corner. Captain Ajitpal Singh signalled Aslam to take the hit. It was the last chance for India to equalize. Govinda pushed the ball, Ajitpal stopped perfectly. Seeing goalkeeper Zainuddin move to his left, Aslam banged the ball to the right. Zainuddin was caught on the wrong foot, and it was a goal!
In the third minute of extra-time, V. J. Philips sprinted down the right flank and sent in a sizzling cross to Harcharan, who made no mistake. The game was over for the spirited Malaysians, and India took her place in the final to play traditional rivals Pakistan.
Author with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the World Cup