Not BBC Strike! Here's Why Kapil Dev's Unbeaten 175 In 1983 WC Against Zimbabwe Wasn't Shown On TV

Kapil Dev's unbeaten 138-balls 175 run innings against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup match helped India win the match, keeping their hopes alive of reaching the finals.

India were 5 down for 17 when number six batter Kapil Dev single-handedly staged a fighback, playing one of the greatest ODI knocks of all time, to win a must-win game for the nation.

Sadly, the match wasn't recorded and broadcast on TV and we don't even have a recording of Kapil Dev's iconic innings.

There's a popular belief that IND vs ZIM 1983 WC match wasn't recorded due to BBC's strike but that's not true.

Four WC matches were being played on that day (June 18, 1983): defending champions West Indies vs mighty Aussies, hosts England vs Pakistan, New Zealand vs Sri Lanka and India were up against Zimbabwe.

On that day, the sole broadcaster BBC felt that India vs Zimbabwe match was fof least importance among all fixtures scheduled for June 18 and they decided to ignore it as back then BBC didn't cover three matches in one day.

And that's why only those present at the Tunbridge Wells stadium were able to watch Kapil Dev's legendary innings live.