- Thursday, April 17, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
IT was also June 25, almost four decades ago. An Indian team, not given much weightage, beat all odds and a mighty West Indies to win the country’s first-ever World Cup. It was a watershed moment in the history of the sport in the country where it has become a religion today. ‘Kapil’s Devils’, as they were called, scripted a golden history at Lord’s, the Mecca of cricket, in 1983.
Thirty-nine years later, Indian fans recalled the day and the social media was flooded with love, affection and nostalgia. Former India players such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, who were part of the Indian team which won the crown for the second time in 2011, also recalled the event.
India, who went to the tournament as an underdog, went on to beat the Caribbeans twice, including the final by 43 runs, to emerge as the new champions. This year, a Bollywood film by the name of ‘83’ was released to revisit the times with Ranveer Singh portraying the role of captain Kapil Dev, arguably the best all-rounder India has produced. However, one of the ‘devils’ — Yashpal Sharma — who was one of the best batters in the Indian team in that World Cup, passed away last year.
Tendulkar revisited the past saying, “Some moments in life inspire you & make you dream. On this day in 1983, we won the World Cup ? for the first time. I knew right then, that’s what I wanted to do too!?”
He also posted pictures of Kapil lifting the World Cup at the iconic balcony at Lord’s and the boy with curly hairs who played him in the film ‘83’. According to Tendulkar, the victory of 1983 had fuelled in him such a passion for the game that he became a determined cricketer in later years.
Some moments in life inspire you & make you dream. On this day in 1983, we won the World Cup ? for the first time. I knew right then, that’s what I wanted to do too!? pic.twitter.com/hp305PHepU
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 25, 2022
Sehwag said in a tweet, “Date mein kya rakha hai (what is in a date)? Well, 25th June, is date mein shuruaat rakhi hai (the date 25th June marked the beginning). It is a day on which India began it’s journey-in 1932 playing it’s first ever Test & 51 years later on 25th June 1983, Kapil Paaji & his boys winning the World Cup,which was a beginning for many cricketers”
Date mein kya rakha hai? Well, 25th June, is date mein shuruaat rakhi hai.
It is a day on which India began it’s journey-in 1932 playing it’s first ever Test & 51 years later on 25th June 1983, Kapil Paaji & his boys winning the World Cup,which was a beginning for many cricketers pic.twitter.com/wcBz4BzsyS— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 25, 2022
VVS Laxman, another former India batter, tweeted, “Today in 1983 was when every Indian got the feeling that dreams can be brought to reality! A moment that will make us proud always! I, like many others was inspired by this win and started dreaming of representing the country someday.”
Today in 1983 was when every Indian got the feeling that dreams can be brought to reality! A moment that will make us proud always! ???
I, like many others was inspired by this win and started dreaming of representing the country someday. pic.twitter.com/agaBhbOOBP— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) June 25, 2022
The Indian cricket board tweeted, “A historic day & a landmark moment for Indian cricket as #TeamIndia, led by @therealkapildev, clinched the World Cup title. ? ?”
?️ #OnThisDay in 1983
A historic day & a landmark moment for Indian cricket as #TeamIndia, led by @therealkapildev, clinched the World Cup title. ? ? pic.twitter.com/WlqB0DQp1U
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 25, 2022
The International Cricket Council also recalled the event, tweeting with a picture of Kapil Dev and his deputy Mohinder Amarnath with the cup, “On this day in 1983, Kapil Dev’s team stunned the world by beating the mighty West Indies to lift the @CricketWorldCup?”
India win their maiden World Cup ??
On this day in 1983, Kapil Dev's team stunned the world by beating the mighty West Indies to lift the @CricketWorldCup ?
— ICC (@ICC) June 25, 2022
Journalist Ayaz Memon posted saying he caught up with Kapil Dev who was in Mumbai to launch the 1983 World Cup Opus — 1 700-page, 25 kilogram book on the memorable cricketing victory.
First evening out after 9 days of isolation because of Covid. Caught up with @therealkapildev who is in Mumbai to launch 1983 World Cup Opus, a 700 page, 25 kg book on India’s most celebrated cricket triumph. I was at Lord’s on June 25 1983? Where were you? pic.twitter.com/BQbTNPwy2F
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) June 24, 2022
Fans also recalled the day with posts and pictures:
One user said, “A future cricket super power was born”.
A future cricket super power was born…Cricket has no future without India
— Shivanand chavhan (@shivanand_08) June 25, 2022
That was such a historic win on 25 June 1983, a date etched forever in our memories and one that elevated India to a global cricket super power ????
— Uday Mehta (@Uday_B_Mehta) June 25, 2022
1-0 Sunil Gavaskar, 2-6 Kris Srikkanth, 3-6 Mohinder Amarnath, 4-9 Sandeep Patil, when he walked in and then 5-17 as Yashpal also went.
Kapil Dev's epic 175* vs Zim was scored at Tunbridge Wells on this day in 1983! pic.twitter.com/Ylnh4K48ps— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) June 18, 2022
On this day in 1983, the great Kapil Dev and his teammates won the World Cup for India for the first time.
He gave a golden day to the people of India to dance with joy.
♥️♥️#WorldCup1983 pic.twitter.com/ttyjDwYGH2— Suraj Tiwari Surya (@Surajtiwarisur4) June 25, 2022
