Happy Holi! India rout Pakistan 4-1 in Hockey World Cup

India beat Pakistan 4-1 in Hockey World Cup

Who says Indian hockey is dead? If you were inside the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday night and heard the crowd roar as a band of fighting, swinging, diving, rocking Indians raced to victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, you would have vowed to return again.

It was a night of redemption for the Blue Shirts. India had been demolished 7-1 by Pakistan inside this very stadium in 1982 in the Asian Games final. With this victory India had avenged their 3-6 Champions Challenge defeat at the hands of the sub-continental rivals in Salta, Argentina last December. The victory not only gave India a 3-2 head-to-head record against Pakistan in the quadrennial event but also one lakh purse each to the players and support staff of the team.