37 years ago, Kapil's Devils defied all odds to win India's maiden World Cup
37 years ago on this day, everything regarding cricket changed in India. The iconic photo of Kapil Dev receiving the 1983 cricket World Cup trophy, known as the Prudential Cup at the Lord's, made everyone in the country proud.
Kapil Dev's Team India defied all odds to beat the star-studded Clive Lloyd's West Indies team. The two-time World Champions were the firm favourites to win the clash but the Indian team were fearless with their approach.
In their journey to final, India beat Australia by 118 runs to book the semi-finals berth and were off to Manchester to take on England in the semi-finals.
England were dismissed for 213 in 60 overs. Kapil bagged 11-1-35-3; Roger Binny and Mohinder Amarnath picked two wickets each. Yashpal Sharma (61) and Sandip Patil (51 not out) scored fifties and India chased down the target with six wickets to spare.
The Unthinkable had happened. India had made it to the World Cup final. Off to London, off to the Lord's!
It was a dreamy journey for Team India towards the final as the young team were never considered as the firm favourites for the title and here Kapil Dev was standing with Clive Llyod for the toss at the Lord's for the summit clash.
Lloyd won the toss and put India in to bat. Sunil Gavaskar departed early but his opening partner Krishnamachari Srikkanth unleashed his uninhibited attacking instincts on the giant Caribbean bowlers.
Srikkanth's cameo helped India crawl to 183 in 54.4 overs but it was never going to be enough against the likes of Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Vivian Richards and Clive Lloyd.
The odds were in West Indies' favour but cricket proved to be an unpredictable game that day.
Chasing 184 for victory in the 60-overs-a-side game at Lord's, reigning champions West Indies slumped from 50 for two to 140 all out in what proved to be the biggest upset of the mega-event.
All-rounder Mohinder Amarnath bagged the Man of the Match in the final as he scored 26 runs and took three important wickets for just 12 runs in seven overs to spark the West Indies collapse.
The Kapil's Devils became the national heroes as their dreamy triumph tale changed the Indian cricket in a massive way.
