It's not often that former India goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi jumps with joy while watching a hockey match. But then, yesterday was no ordinary day, and Negi had every reason to be ecstatic.

Hockey win over Pakistan is sweet revenge for Negi

It's not often that former India goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi jumps with joy while watching a hockey match. But then, yesterday was no ordinary day, and Negi had every reason to be ecstatic.

India beat Pakistan 7-4 and made it to the semi-finals of the CWG in front of a packed house at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium. And while there was jubilation all around, Negi got nostalgic.

Culprit

"Pakistan had scored seven goals against us in the 1982 Asian Games final (1-7) on the very same ground. And after that match, my whole life turned upside down as people blamed me for the debacle. Today ufffd almost three decades later ufffd I feel as though we have extracted sweet revenge for what happened back then," Negi told MiD DAY from his home in Wadala, Mumbai yesterday.

Post the 1982 final, a section of the Indian public branded Negi a traitor, claiming Pakistan had bribed him to let in the goals. The incident went on to form the script of the superhit 2007 Bollywood flick Chak De! India, starring Shah Rukh Khan. Negi was an integral part in the making of the film.

Nostalgic
"A lot of the scenes of Chak De! India were shot at this same Dhyan Chand National Stadium and even then, I had become very nostalgic. Only I know what I went through during that period. It was one of the saddest moments of my life. But today, thanks to Rajpal Singh & Co, I have reason to celebrate.

"They have helped me overcome that grief. I feel very proud. My heart was pumping right through the match. Eleven goals in an India-Pakistan encounter is fantastic. But of those 11, it is the seven that matter most to me," signed off Negi.

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