40 years ago: India’s giant step towards 1983 glory

FORTY years agotoday India took a giant step towards their 1983 World Cup triumphManchester is where they clashed with hosts England in the semifinals Even though India had no international win over England at Old Trafford since they first played Test cricket there in 1936 it was not a disastrous venue for the IndiansFor the 1936 and 1946 Tests ended in draws Syed Mushtaq Ali and Merchant carved hundreds in the second innings of the 1936 Test England won in 1952 and 1959 while the 1971 Test was drawn Then came the 1974 Test where Sunil Gavaskarrsquos fine hundred in challenging pitch and weather conditions went in vainIt was here that Kapil Devrsquos team got their 1983 World Cup campaign to a winning start as defending champions West Indies lost their firstever World Cup game onJune 9England were considered favourites but they ended up with only 213 with Kapil Dev 335 Roger Binny 243 and Mohinder Amarnath 227 frustrating their batting order which included some big names like David Gower Allan Lamb Mike Gatting and the highly accomplished Ian BothamThe destructive allrounder 6 was bowled by Kirti Azad off a ball that kept low while Gower perished for 17 through a low catch by Syed Kirmani off BinnyLamb was forced to return to the pavilion when Yashpal Sharma had him run out through a splendid piece of fielding Tailender Graham Dilleyrsquos 20 helped England get to 213 which was not going to trouble the Indian batsmen too much Sunil Gavaskar and K Srikkanth put on 46 for the first wicketmdashIndiarsquos best opening stand of the tournament Gavaskar was the first to depart In came Amarnath and scored 46 before being run out with the scoreboard reading 142 Yashpal Sharma who had been consistent throughout the tournament smashed 61 and Sandeep Patil getting to his second half century of the tournament 51 stayed till the end of the sixwicket winldquoA risky second run quite unnecessary in the circumstances ended the partnership of 92 between Yashpal and Amarnath But Patil with a cascade of volatile drives rapidly closed the gap Yashpal and he were Indias highestscoring batsmen but Amarnaths allround contribution won him the Man of the match awardrdquo wrote Dicky Rutnagur in Wisden Cricket MonthlyFurther glory followedthree days later when India stunned the world with their win over the mighty West Indies in the finalonJune 25Also Read When Kapil Dev gave a scorer with no assignment his best Iwasthere moment