Today, June 25, we celebrate the 40th year since India’s famous victory in the 1983 ODI World Cup, as Kapil Dev’s underdogs broke up the monopoly the West Indies had been running on the format and scripted a tale which is spoken about with reverence and nostalgia even today. The 1983 World Cup win has become synonymous with Indian cricket, and a key part of its history as it became the key junction at which cricket transcended into the country-wide obsession it is today.
The men’s ODI World Cup returns to Indian shores for a fourth time later this year, in what is certain to be a carnival of cricket as the hosts are also burdened by being the favourites, but surrounded by several high-quality teams. Before an exploration of that future, however, it is important to look back at the moments that lead to India becoming a mainstay of international cricket. Here are 5 fun facts and stats from the 1983 World Cup you might not have heard about:
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5. The world record individual score in ODI cricket was broken 4 times in 4 years between 1972 and 1975, but Kiwi Glenn Turner’s 171 then stood at the top for 8 whole years — before Kapil Dev’s famous 175* against Zimbabwe, saving a match which could have led to elimination for India, broke that particular record. Dev’s own record would only take a year to beat, but the monumental nature of his effort, entering at 9-4, makes it one of the most impactful 50-over innings of all time.
{{/usCountry}}5. The world record individual score in ODI cricket was broken 4 times in 4 years between 1972 and 1975, but Kiwi Glenn Turner’s 171 then stood at the top for 8 whole years — before Kapil Dev’s famous 175* against Zimbabwe, saving a match which could have led to elimination for India, broke that particular record. Dev’s own record would only take a year to beat, but the monumental nature of his effort, entering at 9-4, makes it one of the most impactful 50-over innings of all time.
{{/usCountry}}4. Mohinder Amarnath’s performances in the semifinal and final earned him the man-of-the-match award in both games, as he became the first man to accomplish that feat in the ODI World Cup. Only two players since have achieved that distinction since — Aravinda de Silva in Sri Lanka’s own trailblazing tournament victory in 1996, and the late great Shane Warne just three years after that in 1999.
3. Dev had a massively important and impressive unbeaten 126-run partnership with Syed Kirmani at that historic match at Tunbridge Wells. That is the second-highest in ODIs, but the highest by far for a ninth-wicket stand in a World Cup match. Remarkably, that partnership was also India’s highest-scoring at the tournament.
2. Dev is also one of a select few to have an ODI World Cup campaign consisting of both a century and a 5-wicket-haul. His 5-fer at Trent Bridge against Australia pulled India through to the knockouts, and this double wouldn’t be repeated by any player for any team until Yuvraj Singh’s world-class all-round performance at the 2011 World Cup.
1. Roger Binny and Madan Lal combined for 35 wickets across the tournament, acting as India’s two-headed dragon around which their bowling success was built. No country’s two leading wicket-takers would combine for such a prolific campaign until Warne and McGrath in 1999, often considered the best bowling partnership in ODI cricket, proving the kind of company Binny and Lal were rubbing shoulders with after their performances.