Celebrating Silver Jubilee – 1983 World Cup

The tales are about a Historical day in Indian Cricket. June 25th, 1983 – an event even the 5th class Indian boys would know about… and the girls too.

That’s because ‘Cricket’ is an another name of ‘Sports in India’. Sure, it’s not a legitimate ‘national game’ of a country, but are there any questions on the fact that it has been consistently doing well if it’s about imparting in people a sense of patriotism ? Hoisted are the more number of ‘Tirangas’ merely in a stadium when Sourav hits his straight six, than that are found in an entire country for the day of 15th August or 26th January. The fact of a whole thing is, we – Indians – are ‘emotionally attached’ for what on surface is ‘just a game’. Truly Indians… can’t just leave the hearts behind for anything there !

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I was only infant when an 83 tournament was played. No memories to jot down or talk about, as just no actual vision was felt. But heard through sources that our board was so poor those times that it could only afford a compensation of rupees 1 lac per player then. The work-around to this problem was a Lata Mangeshkar concert, which moderately succeeded in raising fund and players were paid rupees 7 lac each, than just 1/7th of it. Today, when they are being paid each, rupees 25 lac for something that they did 25 years ago; let us join too, make them elated, give them a tribute… On it’s 25th anniversary of a historical victory, let us cherish the moments of a great achievement… A Big round of applause for the living legends – Kapil Dev and the Squad.

Well, I recollect the last world cup here – and the aftermaths of India being out of a series. The impressions are fresh, as it’s hardly a matter of year that an unpleasant event occurred. Remember how India faced the shameful defeats, the last match of its possible range of opportunities to display its talent and secure a position – and yet the fact wasn’t accepted that we were thrown out of a tournament now ! Yes, there still was some hope – Bermuda could beat Bangladesh – that’s how optimistic an Indian cricket fan could be ! But finally the ‘Ho Ha India’ and ‘Common India’ voices had to die out, leaving only the backlash from cricket crazy people in the air the next day. To state an obvious again, In India – Cricket is worshiped – literally. The players are considered demigods – and ‘Gods’ are not supposed to ‘lose’.

But then we won T20. We were the world champions again, no matter for a different version of a game. A young dynamic leader of ours today – M. S. Dhoni – I think is a perfect captain India could have today. And see his modesty… “I got goose pimples watching 1983 final” – Dhoni reports to TOI. Well Dhoni, how about we getting these goose-bumps every time we see you and your boys playing 20-20 ? Oh God… it’s exciting, electrifying, lively, youthful ! And then IPLs - to top it with a touch of glamour. But hey ! Don’t go further… Plz spare that defeat against Pakistan that we just encountered.

Because all said and done – It's a game in the end – You win some, and you lose many. But the thunder remains… You and me, and the whole big clan of us; just keep waiting for 'yet an another game'; look forward to the prospect of seeing India play the ‘next’ World Cup – and probably win.

Great job, Kapil paji… Great going, Dhoni…