Since their victory in the 1971 World Cup, Pakistan had failed to win either the World Cup or the Olympic gold. PHF president Air Marshal Nur Khan, that great visionary, arranged a home and away four-Test series against India in early 1978 to prepare for the World Cup.

Pakistan had a highly talented and experienced squad with most of the players having played together for quite some time.

They won the series 3-1 but suffered a setback in the last test. The great right full-back Manzoorul Hasan, whose pairing with left full-back Munawwaruz Zaman was perhaps the finest in the history of the game, got his arm fractured. Standby Ehsanullah, whose only international experience was a Pakistan youth team tour of East Africa in 1974, was inducted. During the series, quite a few weaknesses came to fore.

Pakistan failed to convert a single penalty corner and even wasted the two penalty strokes that came their way.

However, by the time the side reached Buenos Aires, they had been put through an intensive preparatory phase.

Manager Abdul Waheed Khan told the journalists there that he would not let the Europeans destroy the beauty of hockey by winning the World Cup through penalty corner goals.

It was no mere boasting as the Pakistanis had done their homework. Videos of penalty corner experts like Dutch maestro Paul Litjens had been minutely observed and various roles were assigned to different players to thwart penalty corners.

Legendary goalkeeper Saleem Sherwani knew how far he had to move out of the goal line when defending a penalty corner. Akhtar Rasool was trained to stop the ball on the goal line in case the goalkeeper was beaten. But the prime actor was to be skipper Islahuddin in his well-known role of a dasher on the opponents’ penalty corners, with his courage, speed and anticipation.

Torrential rains a day prior to the opening made little difference to Pakistan. They began like lightning and humbled Ireland (9-0) and Italy (7-0). Pakistan prevailed over Holland (3-1), Malaysia (3-0) and Spain (2-1). They rounded off the pool campaign with a resounding 7-0 win over the hosts Argentina.

Pakistan’s offensive strategy was mainly based on the concept of double attack. If an attack from the right side failed, they made all the efforts to immediately initiate a move from the left side on the assumption that most of the opponents’ defence would have become concentrated on the right side, and vice versa.

In the semi-final, Pakistan came face to face with the doughty Germans who had already caused a sensation by trouncing the reigning champions India 7-0.

Pakistan’s mental preparedness carried the day. It was a very frustrating match for Pakistanis. They sent down waves of attacks only to be denied by the dogged German deep defence or sheer bad luck. Once, even the goalkeeper had been beaten but a German defender arrived from nowhere to clear the ball from the goal line.

Pakistan had a real fright when Germany earned a penalty corner just before the end of the regulation time. Poetic justice prevailed and suspense lingered on till the extra time. Pakistan’s raids went unabated. Skipper Islahuddin had been the inspiring force throughout. And it was he who capped a fine move, flicking the ball over the on-rushing goalie to carry his side into the final.

Pakistan met Holland in the final. Mesmerised by Pakistan’s intricate moves and sublime individual stick work, the Argentines had become their great fans and flocked the stadium for the final.

It turned out to be a titanic battle between two contrasting schools of hockey. The Dutch gave Pakistanis a run for their money through the European style of organised defence and tactics mainly drawn from football.

Pakistan drew first blood when Akhtar Rasool made no mistake from a penalty stroke. The Dutch replied in a similar manner and that is how it ended at the first hooter.

Very early in the second half, Pakistan were stunned by a Paul Litjens’ goal off a long corner. This was the first time they had gone into arrears during the entire campaign.

Islah kept his crew motivated. As in the semi-final, he steered his side out of the troubled waters by netting the equaliser, resulting from a fine move originating from the left side.

The rejuvenated Pakistanis increased the pressure. The great Munawwar had not been able to convert the penalty corners that had come Pakistan’s way. About six minutes from the end, another such opportunity arrived and Islah signalled to Ehsan.

Ehsan, the last minute inclusion, shot his way into Pakistan hockey’s folklore by slamming the World Cup-winning goal.

Thus Pakistan regained the title and in doing so achieved many unique distinctions: they were the first nation to win the World Cup twice; the first to land a World Cup without losing or even drawing a single match; their goal difference of 31 goals (35 for and four against) is still a World Cup record; their total of 35 goals was the highest for an edition of the World Cup (only to be bettered by Pakistan themselves in the next World Cup); and Pakistan conceded just four goals in 575 minutes of play.

It was a thoroughly professional effort.  Patrick Rowley, editor of World Hockey, wrote: "Unlike all their rivals, Pakistan were strong in every position and certainly a beautifully integrated team."

Five Pakistani players had the second taste of a World Cup gold medal: Islah, Shahnaz Sheikh (vice captain), Akhtar Rasool, Munawwar and Sherwani.

Tailpiece: A few months later, the soccer World Cup was to be held also in Argentina.                  One day, manager Waheed was informed that the manager of Argentine soccer team, Menotti, had arrived on his personal plane to see him. Menotti discussed in detail with Waheed the tactics. Waheed explained to Menotti his strategy of double attack as well as the use of wingers whenever it became difficult to override the opposition through the middle. Menotti also watched a training session of Pakistan team with Waheed.

Argentina went on to win the Soccer World Cup for the first time. And Menotti sent Waheed a telegram acknowledging that the Pakistan hockey team’s ploys had helped him a lot.

Goalkeepers: Saleem Sherwani, Qamar Zia. Full backs: Munawwaruz Zaman, Ehsanullah, Jameel Khan.

Half backs: Saeed Ahmed, Akhtar Rasool, Shafique, Muneer Bhatti.

Forwards: Islahuddin, Manzoor Jr, Shahnaz Sheikh, Hanif Khan, Samiullah, Naseem Mirza, Saeed Khan.

Scorers: Shahnnaz 8, Islahuddin 7, Hanif Khan 6, Manzoor Jr 4, Munawwar 4, Ehsanullah 3, Samiullah 2, Akhtar Rasool 2.

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