Rotate keys of time machine 25 years back and enter the world of a teenager that I was…25 years…sounds too long but when you start seeing those pictures and recollect events it appears as if it all happened only yesterday…we all rejoiced on that night…burst crackers….distributed sweets….and really entered a new era of Indian cricket…Yes..we won the world cup of cricket….Picture of Kapildev holding Prudential Cup at Lords gallery remained cherished one since then….

Like all teens of that time…I was a cricket fan…may be a fanatic….we lived cricket….and not eat…drink…sleep cricket with Pepsi…..we honed our skills in gullies of Mumbai….had out own rivalries between buildings and colonies….we passionately  supported Mumbai team in everything it did….we madly stood behind Indian team in rare victories and defeats….watching Ranji…Duleep…Dedhar…trophy and other matches from the north stand of Wankhede stadium was a passion….and North stand probably varied the best view of and best view on the game of cricket…..North stand always added spice to cricket on field....they had special likes and dislikes….Sunil Gavaskar was God…while during domestic matches all other teams were villains….biggest among them were teams from Delhi and Karnataka…probably these two played some unbelievable games against Mumbai….

Coming to world cup of 1983….I hardly had any hopes from Indian team…the history did not support any optimism….and as the campaign commenced…I was ready for another disappointment…and all set to see my heroes from West Indies….Australia….England…..Pakistan….we had a black and white TV at home…which had already given up and Indian team and broke down one day to land itself with a local mechanic…so all world cup was left to be monitored on sports page of Times…Sports week…and may be listen to commentary sometimes on BBC….even when India won its first few matches…there was no upsurge in enthusiasm and I simply kept waiting for the fateful day when Indian would be knocked out….and we all though that match against Zimbabwe brought that day…we friends were listening to feeble voice of BBC..and sulked and sulked listening to Indian total of 17 for 5..all stalwarts in…Zimbabwe had already shown its spirit to Australians and after 17/5…my heart had already given up….Radio was switched off….and I was off to daily routine….but for a cricket fanatic..optimism never dies…three hours later…I jumped with joy to listen to BBC describing dare devil innings of Kapildev and How India got itself into cup again……I was happy…..my heart hoped against all odds that we may ultimately do ourselves proud….when I shared this thought with people…all laughed at me…at that time I thought may be… I was over expecting…..and as team marched into semifinal….I hoped for a faster recovery of our TV..still no signs and I desperately wanted to see Semi finals which was to be telecasted live on Doordarshan……

As semifinal game against England moved on….I managed to motivate our neighborhood…Hansaben…and ensured I got some visibility of match on their TV…I was so lucky that we did not have multiple channels like today…else Hansaben would have not allowed me to go beyond daily soaps…I watched that match all alone in the company of Hansaben and her mother in law…both of them kept discussing gujju recipes and gossip…they must be wondering as to why I was glued to idiot box…trying to make most of that match…and as Sandeep Patil hammered English attack out of match..my heart anticipated glory for Indian team….still no one with me….people at home just told me to shut up and not go overboard…friends liked the idea of India winning the cup but very few felt it realistically….frankly even I thought that it was an unrealistic…impossible….act

And the day arrived…..and our TV finally started breathing….by the time it reached home India had collapsed for 183 and might Westindians were already smelling blood…and as King Richards started hammering ball at all corners of Lords…Aai announced that if TV is not switched off promptly then it may give up again….luckily the fortunes changed and it changed very fast as the mighty champions started collapsing under its own expectations…first Viv Richards…then Clive Lloyd…I feared him the most then…I had seen him thrashing Indian bowlers to a super double hundred during first test  match played at Wankhede….He was followed by Larry Gomes…Gus Logie….Faud Bacchus…and suddenly the entire family was in front of TV..no one wanted to move out…no one cared for the health of just hospital returned TV….and when finally when umpire declared Michel Holdings dismissal…we all erupted with joy…happiness….and felt right on top…..like every where in the city our colony had a super cracker burst……we congratulated each other….danced…some one got sweets and that’s it…..that night I slept with images of Kapildev holding Prudential Cup….sleep was never so sweet before that……

It’s been 25 long years since it happened…..when I went through those nostalgic moments on TV yesterday….my eyes lit with memoirs of 25^th Jun 1983…life and times…people have changed tremendously since then…but Kapils devils would remain the most cherished one for me….any amount of T20….or any other form can not take away credit from the champions of 1983…for changing the face of Indian cricket once for all and changing the mindset….signaling arrival of Indians in one day form….