Cricket World Cup History: India’s golden moments in the World Cup

#3 Kapil Dev’s brilliant show in the 1983 World Cup

Kapil Dev guided the Indian side to victory in the 1983 World Cup

The third edition of the World Cup opened on a positive note for India as they defeated West Indies by 34 runs in the opening game. After a comfortable win against Zimbabwe, India lost to Australia in a game where Kapil Dev's 5/43 stood out.

He took two catches, one of them off his own bowling. With the bat, Dev steadied the Indian ship after the score was on 66/6 as his 27-ball 40, laced with two fours and a six was yet another standout.

In the reverse encounter, the mighty West Indies were seeking revenge and duly got it. Kapil scored a fighting 36 and shared a gritty half-century stand with Mohinder Amarnath not long after Dilip Vengsarkar was hit a sickening blow on the face by Malcolm Marshall.

Zimbabwe blew away the top of the Indian batting and left them tottering at 17/5. Kapil Dev launched one of the most ferocious assaults imaginable. He put on 60 for the 6th wicket with Roger Binny, 62 for the 8th with Madan Lal, and a blazing unfinished record 126 for the 9th with keeper Syed Kirmani. Kapil Dev was unbeaten with 175 off just 138 balls.

His 6 sixes and 16 fours enabled India to finish on 266/8 in their 60 overs. Zimbabwe fought on but Kapil captured the last wicket, clinching victory by 31 runs, an amazing Man-of-the-Match effort by a true great.

In the last group match, nearly all the ‘Kapil’s Devils’ contributed with the bat, and the seamers ensured that Australia would not get even within a hundred of India’s score.

India in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time but hosts England were hardly ever able to put pressure. Kapil Dev mopped up the tail to finish with three for 35 in 11 overs. His batsmen gave the English no chance, cantering to an easy win.were

On the big day at Lord’s, the opponents were the near-invincible West Indies. Indians were gross underdogs. They packed up for a mere 183 runs in 54.4 overs. In strode Vivian Richards at one down and began spanking the ball to the boundary. As he pulled Madan Lal off the front foot high over mid-wicket, Kapil swivelled around and sprinted, clutching the ball as it was about to go down in front of him.

Led by the supercharged skipper India went for the kill. Kapil held a sharp catch in the covers to send back Clive Lloyd. There was a veritable procession, and at 76 for six the champions had all but been dethroned. The knockout punch came via the gentle medium-pace of Mohinder Amarnath. In between, Kapil trapped Andy Roberts leg-before, and his team celebrated a famous victory.

Skipper Kapil Dev jubilantly holds aloft the Prudential World Cup 1983 trophy as man-of-the-match Mohinder Amarnath revels

in

the moment.

The 1983 World Cup was a golden chapter in Kapil Dev’s glittering career, a World Cup record score of 175 not out, and 303 runs at an average of 60.60; a five-wicket haul, and 12 wickets at 20.41 each and economy-rate of 2.91 runs per over; a record seven catches in a single World Cup; and the championship. Simply put, his performance was brilliant.