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10 incredible stats and facts about the 1983 World Cup final in which India beat the West Indies
June 25, 1983 is a moment in history that will remain etched in the memory of every India. It was on that day KapilDev’s men staged one of the greatest upsets in sports history – not just cricket – to win the third World Cup.
Last Updated on - June 25, 2016 9:49 AM IST
June 25, 1983 is a moment in history that will remain etched in the memory of every India. It was on that day Kapil Dev’s men staged one of the greatest upsets in sports history – not just cricket – to win the third World Cup. Here are 10 stats and facts that boggle the mind:
1. Krishnamachari Srikkanth’s innings of 38 was the highest score of both innings.
2. People remember Viv Richards’s blitz when it looked as if the King would win the match off his own bat. But not many realise that while Richards hit seven fours, Srikkanth hit as many fours as Richards, besides a six.
3. In the low-scoring final, just two batsmen entered the thirties in the entire match — Srikkanth with 38 and Richards with 33.
4. Batting first, India lost their last seven wickets for 93 runs.
5. West Indies fared worst, losing their last nine wickets for 90 runs.
6. Joel Garner bowled four maidens each in his allotted 12 overs,while Kapil also bowled four maidens, but in just 11 overs.
7. It’s a tribute to the Indian bowling that Richards apart, there were just three boundaries and a six by the rest of the West Indian batsmen in the entire innings — two fours by Desmond Haynes, one by Clive Lloyd and a six by Jeff Dujon.
8. Mohinder Amarnath won the man of the match award. It was his second successive MOM Award having won in the semi-finals against England as well.
9. Lloyd resigned as captain immediately after the final. It was a huge blow coming moments after one of the greatest upsets in cricket history. Lloyd was persuaded by West Indies Cricket Board officials and senior players to take back his resignation the following day.
10. Following India’s triumph, a reader wrote to David Frith, the then Wisden Cricket Monthly editor, reminding him of an article he wrote before the start of the tournament that he will eat his words if India won the World Cup. Firth was sporting enough to literally eat his words — the article which appeared in his article— and publishing a picture of doing that in his magazine!
(Surdlock Holmes snoops around to ferret out stories that reporters from mainstream media fail to unearth. He prefers to conceal his identity for professional reasons)