THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORLD CUP CRICKET - PART III

Cricket World Cup 1983

 

Cricket World Cup 1983 is best known for being the tournament of the underdogs. It was the third event to be held in England in the history of Cricket World Cup. Contested by eight countries, this tournament followed the same pattern as the pervious two world championships.

The matches in Cricket World Cup 1983 had 60 overs per team. The eight teams were divided into two groups of four countries each. Each country played its group member twice, and the two best teams from each group qualified for the semis.

Cricket World Cup 1983 witnessed the downfall of West Indies as the superpower of the cricketing world. The biggest upsets in the tournament were caused by minnows India and Zimbabwe, who defeated champions West Indies and Australia respectively in the group stages. Winners of the first two Cricket World Cups, West Indies had a tough time battling then inconsequential teams like India.

Eventually, England, West Indies, India and Pakistan qualified for the semi-finals of Cricket World Cup 1983. West Indies and India went on to qualify for the final.

India compiled a meager 183 after being put in to bat in the final match. The end seemed predictable, with West Indies set to clinch their third consecutive World Cup title. However, it was not to be. India came up with the most exemplary team performance to skittle the Windies out for 140, thus winning the match by 43 runs.

The sight of Indian team members rejoicing at the Lord’s balcony is the biggest moment in India’s cricketing folklore. Team India’s dethroning of West Indies from the helm of world cricket in Cricket World Cup 1983 led to a big change in fortunes of most cricket-playing countries. 

Host Country for the World Cup Cricket 1983 : England

Teams in World Cup Cricket 1983:
Group A - England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Group B - West Indies, Australia, Zimbabwe, India

Winner of World Cup Cricket 1983: India

Man of the Final Match : Mohinder Amarnath (India) – 26 runs in 108 balls; 3/12 in 7 overs

Best Batsman  :  David Gower (England) – 384 runs in 7 matches

Best Bowler  : Roger Binny (India) – 18 wickets in 8 matches

Best Wicketkeeper  : Jeffrey Dujon (West Indies) – 15 catches and 1 stumping in 8 matches

Group Stage Matches :
Group A: England v New Zealand at The Oval - June 9, 1983
England won by 106 runs.
England 322-6 (60 ov); New Zealand 216 (59 ov)

Group A: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Swansea - June 9, 1983
Pakistan won by 50 runs.
Pakistan 338-5 (60 ov); Sri Lanka 288-9 (60 ov)

Group B: Australia v Zimbabwe at Nottingham - June 9, 1983
Zimbabwe won by 13 runs.
Zimbabwe 239-6 (60 ov); Australia 226-7 (60 ov)

Group B: India v West Indies at Manchester - June 9, 1983
India won by 34 runs.
India 262-8 (60 ov); West Indies 228 (54.1 ov)

Group A: England v Sri Lanka at Taunton - June 11, 1983
England won by 47 runs.
England 333-9 (60 ov); Sri Lanka 286 (58 ov)

Group A: New Zealand v Pakistan at Birmingham - June 11, 1983
New Zealand won by 52 runs.
New Zealand 238-9 (60 ov); Pakistan 186 (55.2 ov)

Group B: Australia v West Indies at Leeds - June 11, 1983
West Indies won by 101 runs.
West Indies 252-9 (60 ov); Australia 151 (30.3 ov)

Group B: India v Zimbabwe at Leicester - June 11, 1983
India won by 5 wickets.
Zimbabwe 155 (51.4 ov); India 157-5 (37.3 ov)

Group A: England v Pakistan at Lord's - June 13, 1983
England won by 8 wickets.
Pakistan 193-8 (60 ov); England 199-2 (50.4 ov)

Group A: New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Bristol - June 13, 1983
New Zealand won by 5 wickets.
Sri Lanka 206 (56.1 ov); New Zealand 209-5 (39.2 ov)

Group B: Australia v India at Nottingham - June 13, 1983
Australia won by 162 runs.
Australia 320-9 (60 ov); India 158 (37.5 ov)

Group B: West Indies v Zimbabwe at Worcester - June 13, 1983
West Indies won by 8 wickets.
Zimbabwe 217-7 (60 ov); West Indies 218-2 (48.3 ov)

Group A: England v New Zealand at Birmingham - June 15, 1983
New Zealand won by 2 wickets.
England 234 (55.2 ov); New Zealand 238-8 (59.5 ov)

Group B: India v West Indies at The Oval - June 15, 1983
West Indies won by 66 runs.
West Indies 282-9 (60 ov); India 216 (53.1 ov)

Group A: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Leeds - June 16, 1983
Pakistan won by 11 runs.
Pakistan 235-7 (60 ov); Sri Lanka 224 (58.3 ov)

Group B: Australia v Zimbabwe at Southampton - June 16, 1983
Australia won by 32 runs.
Australia 272-7 (60 ov); Zimbabwe 240 (59.5 ov)

Group A: England v Pakistan at Manchester - June 18, 1983
England won by 7 wickets.
Pakistan 232-8 (60 ov); England 233-3 (57.2 ov)

Group A: New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Derby - June 18, 1983
Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets.
New Zealand 181 (58.2 ov); Sri Lanka 184-7 (52.5 ov)

Group B: Australia v West Indies at Lord's - June 18, 1983
West Indies won by 7 wickets.
Australia 273-6 (60 ov); West Indies 276-3 (57.5 ov)

Group B: India v Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells - June 18, 1983
India won by 31 runs.
India 266-8 (60 ov); Zimbabwe 235 (57 ov)

Group A: England v Sri Lanka at Leeds - June 20, 1983
England won by 9 wickets.
Sri Lanka 136 (50.4 ov); England 137-1 (24.1 ov)

Group A: New Zealand v Pakistan at Nottingham - June 20, 1983
Pakistan won by 11 runs.
Pakistan 261-3 (60 ov); New Zealand 250 (59.1 ov)

Group B: Australia v India at Chelmsford - June 20, 1983
India won by 118 runs.
India 247 (55.5 ov); Australia 129 (38.2 ov)

Group B: West Indies v Zimbabwe at Birmingham - June 20, 1983
West Indies won by 10 wickets.
Zimbabwe 171 (60 ov); West Indies 172-0 (45.1 ov)

Semi-Final 1  :
England v India at Manchester - June 22, 1983
India won by 6 wickets.
England 213 (60 ov); India 217-4 (54.4 ov)

Semi-Final 2 : Pakistan v West Indies at The Oval - June 22, 1983
Pakistan 184-8 (60 ov); West Indies 188-2 (48.4 ov)
West Indies 293-6 (60 ov); Pakistan 250 (56.2 ov)

Final Match of World Cup Cricket 1983: India v West Indies at Lord's - June 25, 1983
India won by 43 runs.
India 183 (54.4 ov); West Indies 140 (52 ov)