Former West Indies pacer has made a big statement in connection with India's 1983 World Cup win. While India beat the Men from the Caribbean, who were the favourites to win, to emerge as the champions, ex-Windies speedster Andy Roberts reckons that India got lucky as they went on to win the World Cup and he wasn't particularly pleased with any one of their players. Roberts' remark comes 40 years after India's famous victory in the course of which the Kapil Dev-led side beat the West Indies twice.
"We were in form but due for a bad game. It was just India's luck in 1983. Because of that great team that we had, we lost two games in 1983, and both to India. And then, five or six months later, we beat India 6-0. So, it was just that game. Luck went India's way after they were dismissed for 180-odd. We weren't outplayed. We just lost the game. It was not overconfidence or complacency," Roberts said on Sportstar.
"Among the batsmen, I was not impressed by anyone in particular. No one got a fifty. Among the bowlers, no one got a 5-fer or even a 4-fer. So, I was not particularly impressed. Batsmen impress when you play a top-quality innings. And no one from India did that," he added.
Roberts, who was the pick of the bowlers in that titular clash at Lord's scalping 3 wickets for 32 runs, reckoned that the dismissal of Vivian Richards was the turning point in the final. Richards was looking in great nick but his mistimed shot off Madan Lal was judged to perfection and pouched cleanly by Dev, a catch that is now part of the country's cricketing folkore.
"I think it was when Viv (Richards) got out. We could never recover. The only difference in the finals is that in 1975 and 1979, we were inserted. In '83, we batted second. That was the difference," he said.
India scored 183 in the summit clash. In response, West Indies fell short by 43 runs. Mohinder Amarnath was adjudged the Player of the Match for his all-round performance in the final. He scored 26 off 80 with the bat before returning with figures of 3/12.