On This Day: Relive Team India's Historic 1983 World Cup Triumph

25th June 1983 will forever remain a historical date in the history of Indian Cricket. The day is remembered as one of the greatest triumphs in the history of Indian cricket. A young Kapil Dev-led team India shocked the world by beating the mighty West Indies in the grand finals at Lord's.

42 Years To The Glory

Team India entered the tournament as underdogs after two poor campaigns in 1975 and 1979, during which the team just managed to win one out of six matches. The squad of 1983 had plenty of promise, but very few gave them a chance to go all the way.

The Men In Blue had a job on their hands from the first match as they were facing the mighty West Indies, the defending champions of the last edition. The young brigade started wonderfully as they sent shockwaves, beating the mighty West Indies by 34 runs in their opening encounter, and the Men in Blue then beat Zimbabwe in their second match of the tournament.

After two good opening matches, Team India lost their way as they were on the receiving end against Australia & then the West Indies by 162 & 66 runs respectively. India's first win against West Indies now seemed to be a 'fluke' as the men in blue were now pushed in a corner.

The Epic Comeback

The hopes were lost, & frustration had started to creep in amongst the fans, as the threat of Zimbabwe loomed large at the chilly Turnbridge Wells. India won the toss on a chilly morning & soon found themselves reeling at 17-5 with the hopes dead & buried, until the skipper turned up & turned misery into a magical moment.

Kapil Dev scored a brilliant 175, breaking the then World record, helping India reach 266 in 60 overs. The total proved to be more than enough, beating Zimbabwe by 31 runs.

The Indians then went on to beat Australia & then England in the semi-finals to seal the finals date with the Clive Lloyd-led West Indies side.

History For Team India!

Heading into the final, the script seemed clear: West Indies would crush India and complete a hat-trick of titles. And early in the match, it looked like that script was playing out. India, dismissed for just 183, appeared doomed.

But Kapil Dev’s men believed otherwise. Sandhu removed Greenidge early, and soon the Windies found themselves five down for just 66. Kapil’s incredible running catch to dismiss Viv Richards turned the tide. Madan Lal and Amarnath cleaned up the rest.

Against all odds, India sealed their place in cricketing history by being crowned world champions for the first time.

The World Cup was won. However, how many of you know how money was paid to Kapil Dev's team on winning the World Cup in 1983

What Was The Prize Money For the 1983 World Cup Champs?

Member of the winning team, Kris Srikkanth, in 2020, speaking to Star Sports, revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a ₹25,000 bonus for all the players.