Meet the Heroes of India's
1983 World Cup triumph
A look at how the 1983 World Cup campaign went for members of the Indian squad who emerged victorious
2023 marks the 40th anniversary of a famous Indian victory at the Lord's Cricket Ground - a victory where India beat cricketing giant West Indies in the final of the World Cup to lift its maiden title, back in 1983.
The 14 members, who formed India's contingent for the tournament, went through a number of ups and downs enroute to the triumph on this day, 40 years ago.
Here's a look at how the Indian squad fared in their momentous campaign that redefined the face of Indian cricket.
KAPIL DEV
Matches- 8
Runs – 303
HS – 175*
Bat average – 60.60
Wickets – 12
BBI – 5/43
Bowl average – 20.41
The first Indian captain to lift the World Cup despite 66-1 odds, Kapil Dev taught an entire generation to not be afraid of dreaming big. His unbeaten 175 off 138 balls to rescue India from a precarious 17/5 against Zimbabwe is still remembered as the innings that changed the face of modern-day cricket and batting forever. Surprisingly, Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells - the venue - has never hosted a men's ODI since that hallowed innings. Unfortunately, no video footage of that game is available because the BBC had been on strike that day
The dazzling motorcade in Bombay from the airport to the Wankhede Stadium was just amazing. How can one forget the receptions held in our honour by the President and the Prime Minister?
MOHINDER AMARNATH
Matches- 8
Runs – 237
HS – 80
Bat average – 29.62
Wickets – 8
BBI – 3/12
Bowl average – 22.25
Mohinder Amarnath, vice-captain of the 1983 World Cup-winning side, was the hero of the knockout stages of the tournament, having been named Player of the Match in the semifinal and final. In the last-four match against England, he took the all-important wickets of David Gower and Mike Gatting before scoring 46 runs. In the summit clash against the mighty West Indies, he returned with three wickets and 26 runs.
Earlier, we were seen as good enough to just participate but that impression changed after 1983.
KIRTI AZAD
Matches- 3
Runs – 15
HS – 15
Bat average – 7.50
Wickets – 1
BBI – 1/28
Bowl average – 42.00
Undoubtedly, Kirti Azad’s best moment of the 1983 World Cup came in the semifinal against England, when he rattled the middle-order with his off-breaks. The only wicket he had at the World Cup also came in this game, when he cleaned up Ian Botham. Botham, looking to hit through the offside where there were only three fielders, succumbed to a ball that turned and kept dangerously low after pitching. The importance of this wicket was not lost on the crowd, a section of which ran onto the field to congratulate Azad for the dismissal.
We became the host for the next edition in 1987. The world came to accept that India could play good cricket and also become a great host.
DILIP VENGSARKAR
Matches - 2
Runs - 37
HS - 32*
Average - 37.00
SR - 50.68
Not Out - 1
50 - 0
100 - 0
A mainstay in the batting lineup, Dilip Vengsarkar’s time at the World Cup was cut short due to an injury. India faced a West Indies side that was out to avenge its loss in the tournament’s opening game. Asked to chase 282, India’s openers failed to make a dent. Pairing up at two for 27 , Mohinder Amarnath and Vengsarkar put the innings back on track. With the total at 89, and India clawing back into the game, Vengsarkar failed to evade a Malcolm Marshall bouncer and was struck on the face. He had to retire hurt on 32. India lost the game by 66 runs.
We would have defeated West Indies once more had I not injured myself.
RAVI SHASTRI
Matches- 5
Runs – 40
HS – 17
Bat average – 10.00
Wickets – 4
BBI – 3/26
Bowl average – 21.75
Featuring in his maiden ODI World Cup game, Ravi Shastri chipped in with three wickets in India's 34-run win in its campaign opener against West Indies at Old Trafford. Though he was used sparingly during the tournament, Shastri's all-round abilities helped India to draft him as a replacement for Sunil Gavaskar as an opener in two matches, besides batting at positions 5, 8 and 10 during the group stage.
If the younger generation is prospering the way it is today, it must thank ’83.
BALWINDER SANDHU
Matches – 8
Wickets – 8
BBI – 2/26
Bowl average – 37.11
Sharing the new ball duties with skipper Kapil Dev throughout the tournament, Balwinder Sandhu’s moment in the sun came in the final when he famously dismissed Gordon Greenidge to give India the first breakthrough. Earlier in the match, he had scored an unbeaten 11, adding 22 runs with Syed Kirmani for the final wicket. His other notable performance came against Australia when he picked up two for 26, setting up India’s shock 118-run win.
It does not matter if it’s 40 years or 50 years; our feat will always remain historic, and it will always remain the best moment of our cricketing journey.
SYED KIRMANI
Matches- 8
Runs – 61
HS – 24*
Bat average – 12.20
Catches – 12
Stumpings – 2
A bulwark behind the stumps, a 39-year-old Syed Kirmani was integral to India's success in the 1983 World Cup, effecting 14 dismissals in eight matches, including a then-record five dismissals (only bettered by Adam Gilchrist and Sarfaraz Ahmed since) in a group stage match against Zimbabwe. Kirmani's gritty 43-ball 14 at no. 10 also helped India bat time before defending the lowest-ever total in a World Cup final against the West Indies at Lord's.
The first turning point of the tournament was the opening win against World Champion West Indies.
ROGER BINNY
Matches- 8
Runs – 73
HS – 27
Bat average – 12.16
Wickets – 17
BBI – 4/29
Bowl average – 18.66
Roger Binny emerged as India's element of surprise in the 1983 World Cup when his quality seam bowling found its spark in the English conditions. Binny picked up at least one wicket in every match of the tournament, including a career-best four for 29 against Australia in the last group-stage match. Binny dismissed West Indies captain Clive Lloyd in the final and emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the edition with 18 scalps.
We never discussed cricket the whole day. Of course, there would be team meetings, but besides that, we did not talk much about the game!
SUNIL VALSON
It was at a county game in England, 12 days before the start of the World Cup, that Sunil Valson got to know of his place in the squad. But amid India’s pace battery comprising Roger Binny, Kapil Dev and Balvinder Sandhu, Valson could not make a place in the starting lineup. He played 22 List A games, picking 23 wickets at an average of 30.04.
Imagine, we had a team where Dilip Vengsarkar and Ravi Shastri had to sit out in the final! I have regrets though. I could not collect any souvenirs from that epic journey.
YASHPAL SHARMA
Matches - 8
Runs - 240
HS - 89
Average - 34.28
SR - 64.00
Not Out - 1
50 - 2
100 - 0
Yashpal Sharma, on more occasions than one, proved to be the pillar holding India’s middle order in place. In the campaign opener, against the mighty West Indies, Yashpal walked out with India three down for just 76. His counterpunch, worth 89 runs, steered India to 262. India won the game by 34 runs. In the semifinal against Australia, Yashpal’s partnerships with Mohinder Amarnath and Sandeep Patil got India home in the 214-run chase.
The final will always be remembered for the catch that Kapil (Dev) took to get rid of (Viv) Richards.
KRISHNAMACHARI SRIKKANTH
Matches – 8
Runs – 156
HS – 39
Bat average – 19.50
After an underwhelming tournament, where he didn’t score a single half-century, K. Srikkanth delivered when it mattered most, top scoring in the final with 38 runs that were worth their weight in gold. After India lost Sunil Gavaskar early, Srikkanth paired with Mohinder Amarnath for a 57-run partnership for the second wicket to steady the ship.
The triumph was made possible because of the tremendous self-belief we had, led by our inspirational captain, Kapil Dev.
MADAN LAL
Matches – 8
Runs – 102
HS – 27
Bat average – 34.00
Wickets – 17
BBI – 4/20
Bowl average – 16.76
Madan Lal’s three for 31 in the 1983 World Cup final – which included the key wickets of Desmond Haynes, Viv Richards - was instrumental in handing India an unlikely victory. The medium pacer was India’s second highest wicket-taker and third overall in the tournament. His man-of-the-match performance of three for 27 against Zimbabwe and four for 20 against Australia in a must-win league match were pivotal in India qualifying for the semifinals. A handy bat, Lal also played his part with the willow during Kapil Dev’s epochal unbeaten 175 against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells, scoring a valuable 17 in a 62-run stand for the eighth wicket with the Indian captain.
After our win, smaller teams started believing that if India could tame the West Indies and win the World Cup, so could we.
SUNIL GAVASKAR
Matches- 6
Runs – 59
HS – 25
Bat average – 9.83
India's legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar was not quite in his element during the team's procession in the 1983 World Cup. Featuring in his third successive tournament, Gavaskar managed 59 runs in six outings with a best of 25. The maestro would redeem himself as India's leading run-scorer (300) in the 1987 edition.
The biggest impact of the 1983 win was on the administrators, who could now assert themselves and demand the World Cup in India.
SANDEEP PATIL
Matches – 8
Runs – 216
HS – 51*
Bat average – 30.85
While his numbers in the tournament were not outstanding, Sandeep Patil’s impactful contributions with the bat cannot be forgotten. He scored 216 runs at a brisk strike rate of 90.00 and hammered a 32-ball unbeaten fifty against England in the semifinal. In the final, he added 27 crucial runs which helped India to a match-winning 183.
The 1983 win changed a lot of things. The money came in. The belief — Indian cricketers started believing they can do it. It was actually the start of a new era.
Illustrations: Kannan Sundar
Content: Santadeep Dey, Lalith Kalidas, Dhruva Prasad, Abhishek Saini, Ayan Acharya
Package: Lavanya Lakshminarayanan
Built with Shorthand