The 1983 Cricket World Cup witnessed one of the greatest upsets in the
history of the sport when underdogs India, led by Kapil Dev, defeated the mighty West Indies in the final. However, legendary West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts recently expressed his belief that India’s victory was primarily attributed to luck rather than India being the superior team. Roberts, a key figure in West Indies’ formidable pace battery at the time, acknowledged India’s triumph but highlighted the role of uncertainties and chance in cricket.
India’s journey in the 1983 World Cup began with a surprising victory over the two-time world champions, West Indies, in their opening group match. Although India lost to West Indies in the second leg, they defeated Australia and Zimbabwe twice, securing a spot in the semi-finals. Their triumph continued as they overcame hosts England to reach the finals, where they again faced West Indies.
Heading into the final, India was considered the underdog, with few expecting them to challenge the dominant West Indies side. However, in a stunning turn of events, India defended a modest total of 183 against a formidable batting lineup comprising renowned players such as Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd, and Viv Richards. This victory marked the second time India had defeated West Indies in the tournament, securing their place in cricket history.
“Yeah, we lost to India. It was one of those things. As we all know, cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties. You win some, and you lose some. We are always prepared to lose. We play to win, not at all costs but fair and squarely. A better team did not outplay us. But as we all know, cricket is a game where you have to be on top for the duration of the match. We outplayed India up to the end of India’s innings. And you see, people don’t look at cricket as a game of luck and chance. Up until 1983, we hadn’t lost a World Cup game. In 1983, we were beaten twice. There were only two defeats between 1975 and 1983 in the World Cup, and India beat us both times,” Roberts told Sportstar.
Despite the two defeats suffered at the hands of India in the 1983 World Cup, Andy Roberts believes that West Indies was the superior team in the tournament. Roberts, a prominent member of the fearsome West Indian pace attack, emphasized that cricket is a game where luck and chance play significant roles. He noted that until that tournament, West Indies had been undefeated in World Cup matches since 1975, indicating their dominance.
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“We were in form but due for a bad game. It was just India’s luck in 1983. Because of that great team that we had, we lost two games in 1983, both to India. And then, five or six months later, we beat India 6-0. So, it was just that game. Luck went India’s way after they were dismissed for 180-odd. We weren’t outplayed. We just lost the game. It was not overconfidence or complacency,” he added.
