New Delhi, June 25: The Indian cricket team under Virat Kohli may have failed to win the elusive ICC World Test Championship after going down against New Zealand in the Final recently, but the cricketing fraternity and fans in India are getting nostalgic on Friday (June 25) as they commemorate the 38th anniversary of one of the red-letter days of nation's sporting history.
On the afternoon of June 25 in 1983, Kapil Dev-led Indian spirited Indian side created history as they became the first side to end the supremacy of the mighty West Indies team in one-day internationals. At a packed Lord's Cricket Stadium, the underdogs from India had done the unthinkable as they defeated Clive Llyod's two-time defending champions West Indian side by 43 runs and lifted their maiden ICC World Cup Trophy.
The Prudential World Cup 1983, witnessed the rise of an Indian side that was fearless, and its never-give-up attitude till the very last moments of the final left a huge mark on the history of the game.
Team India - who had hardly had any success in the previous versions of the quadrennial event - had performed badly and no one gave them any chance in the run-up to the tournament. Even the Indian cricketers - who were picked up in the WC squad - themselves were not too serious about it and had never thought of making it to the finals in the wildest of their dreams.
However, their captain - Kapil Dev - had other ideas and the teammates too started realising that they were up for something special as the tournament progressed and they went through several ups and downs.
The Indians had already stunned the cricketing world with their performance in the league stage and later beating hosts England in the semi-finals but hardly anyone thought that this young Indian side would breach the impregnable wall of the West Indies.
The sight of Mohinder Amarnath picking up the final wicket of Michael and the entire team running towards the pavilion as the euphoric crowd rushed into the ground to celebrate India's monumental win, and Kapil Dev receiving the coveted trophy from the hands of the hands of Prince Charles still gives goosebumps to the Indian cricket fans.
It was the win that inspired the upcoming generation of boys to play cricket like Kapil's Devils and win the world cup. The seeds of playing cricket for India were sown in the minds of the generation of the Tendulkars, the Dravids, the Gangulys, the Laxmans, the Kumbles - who went on becoming the greats of the game in the future - from that iconic triumph in 1983.
Today is the 38th anniversary of that incredible victory and the cricketing fraternity, as well as the fans, set aside the disappointment of the Kohli-led Indian side's dismal show in the WTC Final to celebrate that remarkable win.
Here's how cricketers and fans reacted to the anniversary of the day that instilled the confidence in the minds of millions of Indians that they could be world-beaters:
A day that changed Indian ๐ history forever!
โ Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 25, 2021
I'll always remember the celebration & joy we felt with the fall of every wicket and the pride on witnessing ๐ฎ๐ณ win the World Cup. #1983WorldCup #nostalgia #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/GJtTaoFCgc
#OnThisDay in 1983: A historic day for the Indian cricket as the @therealkapildev-led #TeamIndia lifted the World Cup Trophy. ๐ ๐ pic.twitter.com/YXoyLyc5rO
โ BCCI (@BCCI) June 25, 2021
38 years ago on this day , India won the world cup against all odds and this victory inspired a generation of youngsters to take up cricket and dream big. Thank you @therealkapildev Paaji and team for inspiring us. pic.twitter.com/I5Q6xxhP6Q
โ VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 25, 2021
#OnThisDay in 1983, a moment of triumph for India ๐
โ ICC (@ICC) June 25, 2021
Kapil Dev led them to their first @cricketworldcup win with a 43-run victory over West Indies in the final ๐ pic.twitter.com/u3oewIaJnX
Kudos to @therealkapildev and his team for winning the World Cup on this day in 1983. #throwback #KapilDev pic.twitter.com/Dgf2MsmE1g
โ Mohammed Azharuddin (@azharflicks) June 25, 2021
On this day in 1983, @therealkapildev and his men showed us that anything is possible if we dare to dream. This victory inspired a whole generation to take up cricket and dream big ๐๐ผ pic.twitter.com/nYgOJElYg3
โ Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) June 25, 2021
A day that changed the face of cricket in India and inspired so many kids to pick up a bat and ball ๐ฎ๐ณ Congratulations to the wonderful 1983 team on creating history and inspiring generations. pic.twitter.com/xYmalq4ZPO
โ Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) June 25, 2021
The Most Important Day in Indian Cricket. Made millions play cricket. Made a whole generation believe that we can do itโฆthank you ๐๐ #ThisDayThatYear #1983 pic.twitter.com/h2vBGtAzNk
โ Wear a Mask. Stay Safe, India (@cricketaakash) June 25, 2021
#OnThisDay -June 25, 1983, 38 years back #India and its captain @therealkapildev lifted the #CricketWorldCup ๐ for the first time . #KapilDevโs team defeated the mighty #WestIndies led by #CliveLloyod at the #Lords, it will go down as one of #Indiaโs greatest sports win! pic.twitter.com/XHQxV6IX7Z
โ Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) June 25, 2021
Thank you #KapilDev!
โ Sreejith Panickar (@PanickarS) June 25, 2021
25 June 1983. Beginning of a new era that ultimately led to #cricket supplanting hockey as the most followed sport in India.
Itโs unfortunate we donโt have the recording of his defining innings against Zimbabwe in Kent a week before that. @therealkapildev
Vivid memories, watching it from the Lordโs press box which in those days used to be in the direction of long leg. After Kapil completed the catch there was stunned silence in the press box for a while before it broke into a buzz of how India could possibly win. India did! https://t.co/q1Mm4wJw75
โ Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 25, 2021
D83AM day! ๐#1983WorldCup #WhistlePodu #Yellove ๐ฆ๐ pic.twitter.com/KZ8AEDPXGD
โ Chennai Super Kings - Mask P๐ทdu Whistle P๐ฅณdu! (@ChennaiIPL) June 25, 2021