India’s 1983 World Cup triumph: Where were you when Kapil’s Devils made history?

India’s 1983 World Cup win was a historic moment in the game’s tradition. It was the makings of a new superpower in the world of cricket. It added a chapter to a long list of famous underdog stories sports across the world has and it give India the audacity to dream.

Several people watched Kapil Dev and his boys make history by defeating the mighty West Indies in the final at Lord’s - some at the venue itself, others on their television screens or on the radio.

Sportstar revisits the magnitude of that historic triumph through a few such testimonies.

Shrikant M Vaidya, Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Limited

G Viswanath, sports journalist

Time flies. I wish I was 27 years again. 40 years, it’s been. Time flies. Talking in particular about the photograph - the picture was sent to me by Rohan Gavaskar. He dropped me a message asking me if I was at the World Cup in ‘83 and then sent me this asking if it’s me. Cricket has changed so much, organisation of matches has changed so much. I was three years into the profession and working for Sportsweek, a year before I joined The Hindu. These days you have the Players and Match Officials Area - PMOA. Nobody has access to the dressing room. But imagine entering the Lord’s dressing room in today’s age. It is unimaginable. Back then, after the win, we were walking around looking for where the press conference was going to be held. There are quite a few other journalists in that photograph along with me.

Journalist G Viswanath was in the dressing room after India won its maiden World Cup in 1983.

For me to enter the Lord’s press box and dressing room spaces, India had to first make it to the final. The press box capacity was around 60 then. Fortunately, India did and I got the accreditation. Inside the dressing room, the Indian cricketers were taking a moment to admire the trophy they had won.

All the players were so happy. So many people were inside, a security situation you cannot imagine these days. The press conference took place in the dressing room. Around five to six journalists were there, I was one of them. I also got to go to the West Indies dressing room. Obviously they were really disappointed. Their first World Cup loss was at Old Trafford in ‘83. They had won everything else comfortably. So the disappointment was palpable. Clive Lloyd, who was nursing a groin injury, said the pitch was not ideal for one-day cricket. Whereas Kapil Dev, if I remember correctly, said there was nothing wrong with the pitch.

Listen to the full chat with G Viswanath for more anecdotes and memories from 1983

All Indian journalists believed that Clive Lloyd’s West Indies will win the World Cup. Even before we left for England, the Indian team was staying at the Garware Club House. PR Man Singh was the manager of the team. I went and met him to ask him a question about something Australian skipper Kim Hughes said. After India beat West Indies in one of the bilateral games before the World Cup, Hughes said that India could be the dark horse. IK was too young to understand those things. Man Singh said he was happy to learn that the Aussie skipper had said something like that. We travelled confident in the strength of the Windies attack. Look at the bowling. Who thought they could be beaten? It was the third and last World Cup to be played over 60 overs. India won defending 183, my God.

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Kiran Nadar, philanthrophist, art collector and Bridge player

Kiran Nadar is a noted art collector and philanthropist. She is also an acclaimed Bridge player and has won the country many a laurel in the game. .

 I was there for almost the whole World Cup. I came after the first game that we lost to the West Indies. I saw Kapil’s 175* at Tunbridge Wells. And while you couldn’t go to the dressing room, I was certainly on the ground during the prize distribution, and then we went back to the hotel. The celebrations were at the hotel. And I was a part of all that. I was there at Tunbridge Wells too. There was no television there. There was a TV strike or something, BBC was on strike. So, there was no footage, so to be there and see that ending itself was quite an experience. I remember 17 for five. I remember when Madan Lal got out. So, I remember 17 for five in my mind very strongly because they were falling like ninepins and we also knew that if we lose to Zimbabwe, we’re not going to qualify. So, it was very important to find some respite from all that. Yeah, I remember Kapil’s innings because it was absolutely outstanding.  Coming out of that kind of situation itself was a great reaffirmation that this team is capable of anything. I mean, we were in the dumps. And to come out of that was a complete miracle, really. And I think it gave a lot of positive vibes to all the spectators.

Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev with his wife Romi Dev, at a party organised by Air India, official sponsors of Indian cricket team, in Durban, South Africa on December 18, 1992. The Nadars became close friends with Kapil Dev and his family over the years. | Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

You just knew we were the underdogs. We got all out for 183. That itself was again very, very disheartening. But you know, it’s very strange... that match for me... because I had a sixth sense on that. We were sitting. I mean, Kapil’s wife Romi and Madan’s (Madan Lal’s wife Anu), we were all sitting in the same area and Madan was getting thrashed by Viv Richards. Both Romi and Anu got up and they left. They left the ground. And then, Kapil took that magical catch of Viv Richards. And things started to turn, but I had... I mean, whatever I was saying was happening. I said they (WI) will be 140 all out. And they were 140 all out. Of course, it is wishful thinking but whatever I thought of happened that day. So that was very magical. 

I haven’t got any keepsake. I’ve got my memories in my mind, and I have a great friendship with Kapil and Romi, which will be there for many, many years. I think a lifetime. We’re very close. I think that match made it important for me to start watching cricket as a regular. 

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WATCH: We catch up with journalists at The Hindu to find out their memories of the 1983 World Cup win

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Krishnan Sharma, economist with the United Nations

I’m primarily a Test match follower but I do follow and can appreciate good quality One-Day games and I felt that the ‘83 tournament was a real quality one because you had two groups and each team had to play each other twice. In both the groups, you played with a red ball. It was over 60 overs and there were no bouncer restrictions. India had the tougher group.

Krishnan Sharma with Kapil Dev at Tunbridge Wells before India’s World Cup fixture against Zimbabwe

They had Australia and the West Indies to play twice, in fact they played West Indies three times ultimately. We had to also beat a rampant England in the semi finals. So I really appreciate what India achieved.

Listen to his full experience at Tunbridge Wells here:

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Rajesh Puri, former cricketer

We were hooked on to the radio, someone else’s radio. We were living in a Government colony and the radio was playing from some household and we were all trying to follow the game on it. Suddenly, we find out that the Indian team won. People were jumping on the roads in joy. We were too young to understand the magnitude of the win. We had just started going to the stadiums as ball boys etc. Now we realise what a big moment it was in our country’s history.

The 1983 World Cup triggered all the positive consequences that unfolded for Indian cricket. It gave India the confidence that it could be a force in global sports.

The younger generation for a while knew of the 1983 win only as a moment in history. I hope they now have some context about the emotions and passion behind that win after the release of the movie.

Rajesh Puri with Kapil Dev

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Raju Mehta, former Baroda player, sports boutique owner

We were actually a cricketing team from Hyderabad, who went to France first, followed by Netherlands and England. In fact, we had no idea that India had reached the finals, until the immigration people asked us, if we’ve come to watch the match. There were absolutely no tickets left. Players had none left. So much so, GR Viswanath, who did not have a ticket himself, had to be smuggled onto the team bus. We didn’t want to watch the game on television especially when we were right there in England. We then decided to walk from St John’s station, near to the ground and buy the tickets in black. We knew that many of the English would be selling the same, as England, who were originally the favourites, had not reached the finals. And eventually, we found someone who was willing to sell the tickets, whose actual face value was 10 pounds, within our budget of 25 pounds, each.

Supporters of the Indian cricket team invade the pitch at Lord‘s on June 25, 1983 after the team had won the Prudential World Cup. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

We went in and got the best seats, near the right screen, by the Nursery end. When the Indian team went by, to practice at the Nursery ground, they were shocked to see us seated there. We then had to clarify the whole black tickets situation. Also, our seats were right behind the place where Michael Holding caught Kapil Dev, at long-on. They were excellent seats.

When the final began, India was struggling in the morning, because of the cloudy conditions. In fact, during lunch with the players the previous day, I remember them vocally hoping for the hot weather to continue, as it would tire the West Indies’ fast bowlers.

But the first six balls that Garner bowled to Sunil, just whized past and he could barely place the bat on the ball. We knew it was going to be difficult to play against them, in these conditions but luckily the players’ contributions here and there, took us to the 183 total.

We actually wanted Vivian Richards to be at the crease for a while. I mean, at least watching Richards would be a treat. But we never expected what happened that day to happen. Early wickets started falling, in India’s favour. There were few guys sitting in front of us, making fun of India, while they were batting. When Sandhu got hit on the head, they were teasingly screaming for the balls to be bowled slower, as the Indian Batsmen cannot keep up.

The scene at Lord‘s as supporters of the Indian team rush onto the pitch after India’s win in the Prudential World Cup cricket final on June 25, 1983. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives

But when the West Indian wickets started falling, it was our chance to taunt them by saying that, no other team apart from India is capable enough to bring down West Indies, like this.

We then went to the team hotel, to congratulate the guys and there was a party right there in the lobby. It was jam packed and including the Pakistanis, from Sarfraz to Tahir, everyone was dancing. Gary Sobers was also there.

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Rajesh Gupta, former cricketer

My program was made all of a sudden. Three-four days were there (before the final). So I applied for the visa in the UK embassy. They wrote ‘AW’ on my passport. And told me that you don’t need a visa, your application is withdrawn. And you can directly go. So I took a ticket. Went down to UK. I was a young man, 20-22 years old, landed in the UK and the Immigration told me that it is not application withdrawn, it is application withheld. I was shifted to a deportation room where I was supposed to (wait and) take a flight back to India with my return ticket. Bunched up with a couple of Nigerians and all those African country people who were also supposed to be deported. So then I called my uncle, who was locally there. He knew that I was coming. When I did not come out of the immigration, he started making phone calls and then after a long wait of about four or five hours, somebody came over and then they allowed me out. Lord Meghnad Desai took my responsibility personally. He knew my uncle and I was out.

“We didn’t have mobile cameras in those days. I didn’t carry a camera. I was lucky enough to get into the match because I landed in the morning, found some tickets in the black. No photographs at all. I have the tickets in absolute prime condition. They’re framed in my office,” Gupta says. | Photo Credit: Rajesh Gupta

By the time I reached South Hall, where my uncle lived, It was almost 6:30-7 in the morning. I had no tickets. They had no clue. My uncle doesn’t enjoy cricket. So, I accompanied his son and daughter, who were 10, 12 or 15 years old. I first took a bus, then took the tube and reached Lord’s maybe half an hour or 45 minutes before the match. And had no tickets. The house was full and suddenly, a young British guy came running towards me and asked me, “You want a ticket?” Yes. “Well, how many?” I told him we need three tickets. He said, “I’ll come in the next round, keep 270 pounds ready. It is now 90 pounds apiece. And if you want, say yes or no.” I was desperate. I had gone for this and luckily, I was carrying that much cash. My uncle gave me 500 pounds and told me you can go there. Because tickets are not available, you might have to buy them in black. So, I bought three tickets, £90.00 apiece and you know, the pound was ₹15 in those days. This is how I got the tickets and went inside.

I stood behind the nets, where the West Indians were bowling. I saw Joel Garner for the first time in my life. Such a tall fellow. I stood right behind the nets and could see how high his arm was. He had those big nostrils while delivering. My fist would go in. They were that big. Had blood red maroon eyes while he was bowling. I just tried to imagine playing him while standing in the nets. He was so huge and scary. Twenty two yards just seemed like just two yards because he was so tall and approaching the wicket, but it was good fun watching all of them.  

West Indians were shell shocked. They were sitting crying and abusing. We ran like mad people into the ground because there were no fences there and my uncle’s children, they sat down on the boundary because they could not understand what was happening. I remember standing in front of the pavilion and waited a long time before they came and gave the trophy to Kapil Dev. That moment was huge and all Indians were just ecstatic. It was just a wonderful moment. 

My father still enjoys it. We talk about it when we get together sometime. Especially after this 1983 World Cup movie, we went to Kapil’s house and he signed those tickets for me and this again revived (memories). Fortunately, my son Arjun got married three months after this 83 release. So it was talk of the town in the wedding also. 

For me, 83 will never be forgotten. Any win cannot be equal to that win. Beating West Indies twice in that World Cup and you just see the West Indian side - Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall. You name it and they were there, Jeff Dujon, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd - you can’t beat that team. They were all-time greats and we beat them twice. We might win so many more (matches) but that is just out of the world. You can’t beat that team. You can’t beat that win. 

Compiled by Lavanya Lakshminarayanan, Santadeep Dey and Nihit Sachdeva with inputs from Anish Pathiyil and Sahil Mathur.