The 1983 Cricket World Cup

The 1983 Cricket World Cup

(aka Prudential Cup, 1983) was the third edition of the tournament. It was held from 9 June to 25 June 1983 in England and was won by India Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each country played the others in its group twice. The top two teams in each group qualified for the semi-finals.

The matches consisted of 60 overs per team and were played in traditional white clothing and with red balls. They were all played during the day.

The 1983 World Cup was full of dramatic cricket right from the start. Teams like India and Zimbabwe who were not playing well at those times scored upset victories over the West Indies and Australia respectively. England, Pakistan, India and tournament favorites West Indies qualified for the semifinals.

Format

The format of the 1983 world cup was 2 groups of four teams, each team playing each other twice. The top two team from each group then advance to the Semi Finals where the winners then advance to the finals.

Participants

The following 8 teams qualified for the final tournament.

ACA (1)

• Zimbabwe

ACA (1)

West Indies ACC (3)

• India
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka

EAP (2)

• Australia
• New Zealand

ECC (1)

• England (Hosts)

Semi-finals

In the first semi-final, at Old Trafford on 22 June, England won the toss and batted first. The English batsmen mistimed many balls and used the bat's edge frequently, as the restrictive Indian bowling led England to score 213 (all out, 60 overs). Graeme Fowler (33 from 59 balls, 3 fours) top scored, and Kapil Dev took 3 for 35 in eleven overs, with Mohinder Amarnath and Roger Binny taking two wickets each. In reply, Yashpal Sharma (61 from 115 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Sandeep Patil (51 from 32 balls, 8 fours) made half-centuries, as India reached their target in 54.4 overs, winning by 6 wickets in a classic victory over the previous tournament's runner-ups. Mohinder Amarnath (46 from 92 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) picked up the man-of-the-match award for his all round performance, which saw him add 46 runs to his earlier bowling success (2/27 in 12 overs).

The second semi-final, between Pakistan and the West Indies, was staged at The Oval on the same day. West Indies won the toss and inserted Pakistan, whom they restricted to just 184 (8 wickets, 60 overs). Mohsin Khan (70 from 176 balls, 1 four) fought his way past 50 against the superb West Indies Bowling (he was the only Pakistani batsman to reach 50). Malcolm Marshall (3-28) and Andy Roberts (2-25) starred with the ball. The West Indies innings was based around a superb innings by Viv Richards (80 from 96 balls, 11 fours, 1 six), who took the man-of-the-match award, and an unbeaten half-century by Larry Gomes (50 from 100 balls, 3 fours) as the defending champions reached their target for the loss of just two wickets.

22 June 1983

England 213 - 217/4 India Old Trafford, Manchester

22 June 1983

West Indies 188/2 - 184/8 Pakistan The Oval, London

Final

Main article: 1983 Cricket World Cup Final

In the final, India lost the toss and were asked to bat first against a West Indies team that arguably boasted the world's best bowling attack. Only Kris Srikkanth (38 from 57 balls) and Mohinder Amarnath (26 from 80 balls) put up any significant resistance as Roberts, Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding ripped through the Indian batsmen, ably supported by Gomes. Surprising resistance by the tail allowed India to compile 183 (all out, 54.4 overs). Only three sixes were hit in the Indian innings, one from Srikkanth, one from Sandeep Patil (27 from 29 balls), and one from Madan Lal (17 from 27 balls). However, the Indian bowling exploited the weather and pitch conditions perfectly to bowl out the best batting lineup of the era for 140 from 52 overs in return, winning by 43 runs and completing one of the most stunning upsets in cricket history, defeating the previously invincible West Indies. Amarnath and Madan Lal (3-31) each took three wickets, and one memorable moment was the sight of Kapil Dev running a great distance (about 18-20 yards) to take a catch to dismiss Richards, the West Indies top scorer with 33 from 28 balls. Amarnath was the most economical bowler, conceding just 12 runs from his seven overs while taking 3 wickets, and was once again awarded the Man of the Match award for his all-round performance. There was no 'Man of the Series' awarded in 1983.