When Kapil Dev’s Team India did the unimaginable at Lord’s
Fairy tales have always been an inspiration in sports. They often revolutionize things and make a fresh start. Cricket in India experienced a similar experience exactly 38 years ago when Kapil Dev’s team India pulled off the unimaginable at Lord’s.
The West Indies were then the Goliaths in world cricket, led by the challenging Clive Lloyd. Clubbed in the second group, West Indies, the defending champions, lost just one on their way to the top of the group table, winning five other matches. Viv Richards’ 80 off 96 balls helped West Indies beat Pakistan to reach the final.
England were the next big side in the competition and a summit clash between the two seemed inevitable. Like the Windies, they too finished at the top of their group with just one loss.
Parallelly, the unknown Indian team was slowly making its way through the unknown, and what most felt was unacceptable to them. They finished second behind West Indies in the second group, losing two games, before shocking the English side at Old Trafford in the semi-finals.
A journey as inspiring as it was matched by the dominance of Richards’ men. India was never the favorite for the biggest competition in world cricket, and a total of 183 only reinforced that opinion.
West Indies got off to a promising start, with the captain scoring 50 runs in his 28-ball 33 off 33 balls. But a moment of magic changed the course of the game. Richards sent a skier to Madan Lal and Indian captain Kapil Dev took a sensational catch as West Indies soon posted 76 for 6.
Mohinder Amarnath then broke late resistance from Jeff Dujon and Malcolm Marshall as West Indies slipped ahead, eventually bundling for just 140.
Amarnath won the man of the match award by taking 3 wickets for 12 wickets in seven overs.
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