Which Indian Cricket enthusiast can forget 25rh June 1983- the day ‘Kapil’s Devils’ lifted the Prudential World cup, signifying supremacy in the limited-over version of the game. The matter reaches added importance, in the light of India’s abysmal performance in the 2 earlier editions.

India was rank outsiders at the commencement of the tournament. Their first win, over West Indies, (thanks to Yashpal Sharma’s gritty innings) in the league stage, was at best an upset. In the historic match against Zimbabwe, also at the league stage, they were effectively shut out within the first half-hour, when the score line read something like 26 for 5. In walked the Harayana Hurricane, and scored an unbeaten 175, an innings, which can only be termed ‘destined’, or providence. There after, fans started hoping against hopes, and were confident of India, clinching a berth in the final.

It was a Saturday. TV sets were not ‘necessities’ in those days .It was a day match. I think, it started around 12 noon GMT i.e. 5.30 p.m. or may be 3.30 p.m.  “Super cat”, Clive Lloyd, won the toss and inserted India. What else would you expect on a cloudy day, at Lords, with Roberts, Holding and Garner at your command? Sunny fell cheaply; Krish Srikanth, who can justly be credited for taking cricket to Indian kitchens, rode his luck.  He hit a few good boundaries and lived dangerously. Once he perished, the others just managed to add a few runs to the kitty. Jimmy Amarnath, with his calm and collected composure, made a significant contribution. ‘Big Bird’ Joel Garner, took 4 catches, with his bucket hands at the gully. Indian batsmen were suffering from the perennial problem of finding their off stump. Not that it would have mattered, even if they had managed to!  A total of 183 was never going to be sufficient. Indians had to bowl at the explosive opening pair of Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge. If they would not accomplish the task fully, the “Smoking Joe’ could always chip in. At the Luch break, after the conclusion of Indian innings, pundits were not giving India any chances, ‘glorious uncertainties’ notwithstanding. But History was waiting to happen!

80 crore Indian hearts were pulsating and there was palpable churning, inside similar number of stomachs! Some how they managed to take their seats in front of the TV sets. A young turbaned sardar, called Balwinder Singh Sandhu trooped in and bowled a huge in swinger. Greenidge shouldered arms, only to see the timber behind him being gently disturbed. The deafening silence in the crowd, was matched only by one thing- the motley Indian supporters’ roars. The colossus strode in, with a contemptuous smile on his face- why bother me for such small totals? Madan Lal got some stick. It was a flurry of boundaries. Now the silence switched over to Indian homes. They were making up their beds- to retire for the day, with one more disappointment. Suddenly there was a short delivery from Binny (or was it Madan Lal?), Richards had pulled it and the ball was soaring high. Kapil was running backwards some 20-25 yards-caught the ball and clung on to it as if his life depended on it. The king strode back to the pavilion ever so casually, as if nothing had happened!

In walked the bespectacled, slightly drooping, and an injured’ Super Cat’. The bat was looking like a toy, in his hand, and the slight limp, made the walk from the pavilion to the pitch, look eternal. A couple of quite overs and runs were being accumulated. At Tea break it seemed inevitable. It would be a hat trick of victories-three-in-a row, for the Windies, with already wins in the preceding two editions. The first ball after tea break changed all that. Kirmani completed a spectacular catch, behind the stumps, to dismiss Bacchus. The last recognized batsmen had departed. Indians were seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Will it really happen?