'83 2021

A young Kapil Dev, played by Ranveer Singh, was unexpectedly appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team, stepping in for the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. With the all-rounder known as the “Haryana Hurricane” at the helm, a fresh zeal swept through the squad. While the Indian team was composed of remarkable individual players, they still faced the challenge of figuring out how to function cohesively as a unit.

Managing the team during the 1983 World Cup was PR Man Singh (portrayed by Pankaj Tripathi), whose dedication was evident when he paid a hefty Rs 9800 in excess baggage fees just to bring pickles to London—a necessity as the local food left much to be desired.

On the 1st of June, 1983, the team gathered in London, where they encountered organizational issues right from the start, lacking proper transportation on arrival. Meanwhile, Romi Dev, Kapil’s wife played by Deepika Padukone, remained in their ancestral home in Haryana, eagerly awaiting a win for their country, a hope echoed by Raj Kumari Nikhanj (Neena Gupta), Kapil’s mother. With a meager daily allowance of 15 pounds, the players had to wash their clothes themselves, given the high costs of laundry services.

As the Indian opener, Krishnamachari Shrikant (played by Jiiva) expressed—“one must be a bit mad to believe in defeating the invincible West Indies,” who had secured back-to-back World Cup titles without losing a single match. During this time, the likes of Michael Holding, Colin Croft, Joel Garner, and Andy Roberts formed the terrifying quartet of bowlers that struck fear into their opponents. When Croft retired, he was substituted by Marshall Malcolm, continuing the assault with deliveries that seemed almost inhuman.

The team also included Yashpal Sharma (played by Jatin Sarna), Sandeep Patil (portrayed by Chirag Patil), Kirti Azad (played by Dinker Sharma), Roger Binny (portrayed by Nishant Dahiya), Madan Lal (played by Harrdy Sandhu), among others. Most players followed a vegetarian diet, surviving mainly on bread, butter, and the pickles brought by Man Singh, since their access to quality food was severely limited.

Unfortunately, the team’s arrival was marked by setbacks; influenced by their past performance, their passes were dismissed as irrelevant since India was not anticipated to reach the finals—Man Singh had even booked return flights before the semifinals! Critic David Firth cynically remarked he would eat his words if India succeeded; the media echoed their doubts, calling their first win a fluke.

Through a series of unfortunate practice matches leading up to the World Cup, the team lost significantly. However, it was the igniting moment of tension at the Zimbabwe match that became transformative. Facing a precarious situation at 17/5, the team needed to rally and Kapil stepped up to the challenge. He went on to score an astounding 175 runs, turning the game around and catapulting his team towards self-belief: “We must play beyond our potential from now on.”

The momentum shifted afterward—the last group match saw a confident victory against Australia. Yashpal and Kapil’s resilience marked a turning point, drawing the nation’s attention and even the interest of Indira Gandhi (Avantika Akerkar), who decided to celebrate the team’s progress with nationwide broadcasts.

The semi-final against England was a gripping match where, despite trailing early, Mohinder Amarnath’s (played by Saqib Saleem) impressive performance turned the tide, allowing India to secure a win that had never before been achieved on English soil.

The epic final against the West Indies was a daunting prospect, especially since India had never won at Lord’s. The pressure mounted as India struggled early in the innings but managed to reach a total of 183—much lower than expected. However, the team’s determination strengthened. Despite the pressures, they remained focused, and following a nail-biting performance, they emerged victorious, marking a historic moment in cricket history.

On 25 June 1983, Lord’s Cricket Ground became the theatre of an extraordinary upset, where India triumphed over the two-time champions, ultimately solidifying their place in the cricketing world. David Firth ultimately kept his dubious promise, eating his words in front of a celebrating crowd at Lord’s.