40 years of 1983 World Cup triumph: India down mighty West Indies to revolutionise nation’s sporting destiny

Kapil Dev’s image of holding the World Cup trophy at Lord’s is seared into the memories of every Indian cricket fan.

It was a moment of triumph that inspired a generation of Indians to take up the game of cricket seriously. Forty years ago today, the Kapil Dev-led Indian cricket team defied the odds and won the Cricket World Cup, defeating the mighty West Indies in the final at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

India was not considered a favorite to win the tournament, but they played with great skill and determination. They defeated some of the best teams in the world, including the West Indies, who were the defending champions. The victory was a source of great pride for India, and it helped to boost the popularity of cricket in the country.

Today, cricket is one of the most popular sports in India, and the 1983 World Cup victory is still remembered as one of the greatest sporting achievements in the country’s history. The victory was also a watershed moment for Indian cricket. It showed the world that India was a force to be reckoned with, and it helped to change the way that the country was perceived on the global stage.

MOOD IN THE CAMP BEFORE WORLD CUP

Most Indian cricketers arrived in England expecting the World Cup to be merely a stopover because they did not expect to advance beyond the league stage. They had planned a vacation to the United States, where they would play a series of friendly matches, anticipating an early exit. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, the newlywed opener, had even planned his honeymoon! All plans had to be scrapped as a result of the outcomes achieved by the players on the pitch. Srikkanth had to cancel his tickets as well and later joked that Kapil owed him money for the inconvenience.

KAPIL DEV BELIEVED INDIA COULD WIN

India may have won the World Cup in 1983, but only captain Kapil Dev believed at the start of the tournament that the team could go all the way, according to former all-rounder Kirti Azad. India were considered underdogs at the start of the tournament, but they went on to win the cup by defeating the all-conquering West Indies squad in the final. Azad admitted that he joked with teammate Mohinder Amarnath about taking a month off.

“When that tour was starting I saw a small champagne bottle in (Kapil Dev’s) bag. I told him, give it to us. What are you going to do with it? You dont drink. But he kept it till the end. And if you see, that was the first bottle that opened on the balcony of Lord’s. We tried to take it from him but he didn’t give it. He believed from the beginning that we could win it,” Azad told India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai.

1983 WORLD CUP FINAL

The 1983 Cricket World Cup final was a story of ultimate courage and fight back. The West Indies, who were the defending champions, had restricted India to just 183 runs. However, India fought back brilliantly, and Kapil Dev’s brilliant catch to dismiss Viv Richards triggered a batting collapse that saw the West Indies bowled out for just 140 runs.

The match was evenly poised at 57-2 when Richards was dismissed. Richards was in great form, and his dismissal seemed to give the West Indies the upper hand. However, Kapil Dev ran backward and took a brilliant catch to dismiss Richards. This was a turning point in the match, as it led to a batting collapse that saw the West Indies bowled out for just 140 runs.

India’s victory was a triumph of spirit and determination. They were not considered favorites going into the tournament, but they played with great skill and heart.

WHAT DO YOUR OWN WORDS TASTE LIKE?

In the run-up to the 1983 Cricket World Cup, Wisden Cricket Monthly editor David Frith wrote an article predicting that India would not progress beyond the group stage. He even went so far as to say that he would “eat his words” if they did.

After India went on to win the tournament, a reader of the magazine reminded Frith of his prediction. Frith was a man of his word, and he literally ate his article in front of a camera. The image of Frith eating his words was published in the magazine, and it became a lasting symbol of India’s unexpected victory.