On this day in 1983, Kapil Dev made history with an epic 175 against Zimbabwe in the Prudential World Cup in England. This innings is often regarded as one of the best ever in ODI cricket. He really turned it around for India during the tournament and just before he lifted the World Cup at Lord’s.
Kapil played at Tunbridge Wells after a tough time for the Indian team which was 9 for 4. It’s said he was in the shower when a teammate knocked on his door to tell him what was happening. Despite the pressure Kapil took charge and smashed the inexperienced Zimbabwe bowlers scoring what was then the fastest ODI century and the highest World Cup score.
See Also:- Most Runs in an Over
He hit 16 fours and 6 sixes and finished with a strike rate of 126.81. The next best score on the team was 24 from Syed Kirmani. Thanks to Kapil India scored 266 for 8 which they defended and won by 31 runs and kept their semifinal hopes alive. They had lost two matches and needed that win against Zimbabwe and Kapil delivered.
Read Also:- Fastest batters to 1000 Test Runs
Later India went on to beat England in the semifinals and the West Indies in the final at Lord’s making Kapil’s innings even more legendary. Unfortunately there’s no video of that innings. Some say it’s because the BBC was on strike that day but that’s mostly a myth. Others say it’s because the West Indies vs Australia match was shown instead.
