UPSETS don’t come bigger than the 1983 World Cup final at Lord’s when on June 25 India emerged out of nowhere to stun two-time reigning champions – and red-hot favourites – West Indies by 43 runs.

Zimbabwe made their debut as once again eight teams competed in a tournament which was held for the first time on a double league basis. An oval-shaped fielding circle was also introduced 30 yards away from the stumps with restriction of four fieldsmen inside the marked area throughout the 60-over innings.

A hat-trick of titles was a foregone conclusion for West Indies once India had been strangled for 183 within 55 overs in front of a noisy crowd after Clive Lloyd had opted to field first.

Incredibly, the highest individual score of the day was 38 scored by Kris Srikkanth, who hit seven fours and one six while facing 57 balls. For the first time in three finals, Andy Roberts, the legendary fast bowler, claimed a wicket – dismissing Sunil Gavaskar, Kirti Azad and Roger Binny.

Vivian Richards then set about making mockery of a small target, while striking seven boundaries in a 28-ball 33. The Calypso celebrations had just started as West Indies reached 50 for one.

But within 26 runs five wickets fell, including that of Richards, who was sensationally caught by Indian captain Kapil Dev deep on the on-side.

Madan Lal and Mohinder Amarnath, who at best were no more than military medium in pace, somehow wobbled the ball around and finished with three wickets each as the West Indian capitulated for 140 in 52 overs.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

S.M. Gavaskar c Dujon b Roberts 2

K. Srikkanth lbw b Marshall 38

M. Amarnath b Holding 26

Yashpal Sharma c sub (A. Logie) b Gomes 11

S.M. Patil c Gomes b Garner 27

N. Kapil Dev c Holding b Gomes 15

K.B.J. Azad c Garner b Roberts 0

R.M.H. Binny c Garner b Roberts 2

S. Madan Lal b Marshall 17

S.M.H. Kirmani b Holding 14

B.S. Sandhu not out 11

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-5, W-9, NB-1) 20

TOTAL (all out, 54.4 overs) 183

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2 (Gavaskar), 2-59 (Srikkanth), 3-90 (Amarnath), 4-92 (Yashpal Sharma), 5-110 (Kapil Dev), 6-111 (Azad), 7-130 (Binny), 8-153 (Patil), 9-161 (Madan Lal).

BOWLING: Roberts 10-3-32-3; Garner 12-4-24-1; Marshall 11-1-24-2; Holding 9.4-2-26-2; Gomes 11-1-49-2; Richards 1-0-8-0.

WEST INDIES:

C.G. Greenidge b Sandhu 1

D.L. Haynes c Binny b Madan Lal 13

I.V.A. Richards c Kapil Dev b Madan Lal 33

C.H. Lloyd c Kapil Dev b Binny 8

H.A. Gomes c Gavaskar b Madan Lal 5

S.F.A.F. Bacchus c Kirmani b Sandhu 8

P.J.L. Dujon b Amarnath 25

M.D. Marshall c Gavaskar b Amarnath 18

A.M.E. Roberts lbw b Kapil Dev 4

J. Garner not out 5

M.A. Holding lbw b Amarnath 6

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-10) 14

TOTAL (all out, 52 overs) 140

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5 (Greenidge), 2-50 (Haynes), 3-57 (Richards), 4-66 (Gomes), 5-66 (Lloyd), 6-76 (Bacchus), 7-119 (Dujon), 8-124 (Marshall), 9-126 (Roberts).

BOWLING: Kapil Dev 11-4-21-1; Sandhu 9-1-32-2; Madan Lal 12-2-31-3; Binny 10-1-23-1; Amarnath 7-0-12-3; Azad 3-0-7-0.

RESULT: India won by 43 runs.

UMPIRES: H.D. Bird and B.J. Meyer (both England).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohinder Amarnath.