Footballer Balaram recollects Balbir playing with fractured finger against Pak in 1956 Olympic final

He did not score in India's Olympic gold grabbing
"Balbir-paaji's dedication was heroic. He came out with a plaster on his finger and took pain-killer injections before the match."
"He (Singh) was a culmination of many. In my entire sporting career, I have hardly seen another sportsperson as disciplined, dedicated, and honest as him. His athletic build complemented his agility. His turn, precision and ability to generate pace from nowhere was above all."
"Everyone in the team was not just a player, but an elegant artist! The coordination between Udham Singh and Balbir Paaji was terrific and even as the hockey team began its campaign, Balbir-paaji's fiver against the Netherlands in the previous Olympics (1952 Helsinki) final was still going around like a fairy tale."

"After bowing out in 1948 and 1952, Pakistan finally reached the final and they were desperate to end India's monopoly. It was nerve-wracking, and the entire Indian contingent was feeling it."