This year will see the 13th edition of the One Day International (ODI) Cricket World Cup in India from October onwards, with reigning champions England all set to defend their title.
Winning the World Cup is no easy task, and it takes each player coming together to be a collective unit to go all the way across the finishing line, and become champions. However, sometimes one single player can take it upon themselves to carry their side on their back to victory.
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One such awe-inspiring performance came from Indian legend Kapil Dev at the 1983 World Cup against Zimbabwe.
Kapil Dev's memorable 175* against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup
Exactly forty years ago, India took on Zimbabwe in their penultimate group game. India's opening batsmen went missing that day, with the likes of famed batsman such as Sunil Gavaskar, Kris Srikkanth, and Mohinder Amarnath, failing to make a mark. The first five batters were only able to score a mere 17 runs between them, with India one step from defeat.
In stepped skipper and all-rounder Dev at number 6. With only nine runs on the board when he entered the pitch, the cricket legend put up a brilliant display of batting, scoring 16 fours and six 6s in the process of putting up a total of 175 runs in 138 balls. Later in the second innings, Dev contributed with the ball, with a spell of 1/32 in 11 overs.
🗓️ #OnThisDay in 1983
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 18, 2023
📍Tunbridge Wells
Captain @therealkapildev slammed 16 fours & 6 sixes to hammer 1⃣7⃣5⃣* off 1⃣3⃣8⃣ balls against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup 👏👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/0FthfMKMuq
This was India's first-ever ODI century, and could not have come at a more important moment. Dev would again come through for India in the Final against West Indies that World Cup taking the all-important catch that won India their first World Cup and put an end to the Indies' dominance.
How did Kapil Dev perform at the 1983 Cricket World Cup?
Dev was one of the star performers at the 1983 World Cup taking 8 wickets and scoring 303 runs in 8 matches.