NEW DELHI: Kapil Dev’s iconic unbeaten 175 not out against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup is one of the most legendary innings in limited-overs cricket history. But while Kapil was blazing away on the field, a lot was happening in the Indian dressing room as well.

On June 18, 1983, India were in deep trouble at 17 for 5 when Kapil walked in to bat. With an incredible display of aggressive batting, he single-handedly turned the game around, scoring 175 runs off 138 balls, which included 16 fours and 6 sixes. His remarkable innings helped India post a competitive 266/8, and Kapil’s knock not only was the key to a vital win but also inspired India’s journey to their first World Cup triumph.

Syed Kirmani, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, shared a humorous anecdote from that memorable match.

“I was in the dressing room, with a toast in between my teeth and a towel around me. Somebody shouted from outside: ‘Hey Kiri, pad up’. Normally, guys pull your leg (by shouting like this). So I ignored that shout. In a span of three minutes, again someone shouted – ‘Arey kya kar raha hai yaar (what are you doing), pad up’,” Kirmani recalled.

“So I held my towel with the toast between my teeth and saw the scoreboard, which read 17/5. My toast and towel fell down. I looked around left and right. Believe me, no one was there in the dressing room,” said Kirmani.

India went on to win the match by 31 runs, bowling out Zimbabwe for 235. In the final, India famously defeated the mighty West Indies by 43 runs to lift their first-ever World Cup trophy.