Today, on June 25 1983, India etched their name in the realm of cricketing history as they lifted their first ODI World Cup. Led by Kapil Dev, India was seen as underdogs, however the Men in Blue broke the monopoly of West Indies by defeating them in the finals.
The World Cup triumph was seen as nothing less than a miracle as Kapil Dev’s men changed the whole course of Indian cricket and popularised the format. Today, cricket has become the heartbeat of the nation, an identity, moreover a dream of every boy playing galli cricket.
Here are some interesting facts from India’s World Cup Campaign that you should know:
The Untelecasted Greatest Knock Of Kapil Dev
India was on the verge of being knocked out when captain Kapil Dev played one of the greatest knocks of all time scoring 175 runs against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. However, the knock wasn’t telecasted on the TV as BBC was on a strike on that day.
No coach, no doctor, no physiotherapist
The Indian team landed in England to play the World Cup without a coach, doctor and physiotherapist. Mohinder Amarnath took the responsibility of a coach along with Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar playing their part.
Home Tickets Booked Before Finals
Nobody expected India to make it past the group stages. Few Indian cricketer like Krishnamachari Srikkant had already booked flight tickets ahead of the tournament for a honeymoon to the US with his wife.
Lifting the World Cup Without Playing
Sunil Valson, the left-arm medium paced bowler, did not even play a single match for the entire tournament and lifted the World Cup trophy.
winning prize
Before the World Cup win, a player was paid around Rs. 12,500 for every match but after the win, the BCCI announced a prize of Rs.2 lakh for the entire team . Sunil Gavaskar, however, refused to accept the money.