For the first time since the 2011 World Cup, India are looking more fierce than ever before.© AFP
The 1983, 2011 and 2023 ICC ODI World Cup editions saw the prowess of bowlers play an instrumental role in shaping Team India’s success on the grandest stage of international cricket. The 1983 World Cup marked a historic milestone for Indian cricket, as the team, led by the charismatic Kapil Dev, triumphed against the mighty West Indies in the final at Lord’s. In the famed moment, India’s bowlers exhibited exceptional resilience to fend off the underdogs’ tag and get the better of the Caribbean side, the dominant cricketing team in the world at that time.
The likes of Mohinder Amarnath, who played a pivotal all-round role and earned the ‘Player of the Match’ in the final and Madan Lal, with his breakthroughs, showcased the mettle of the Indian bowling attack. The strategic approach of the bowlers, complemented by their wickets at key junctures, played a vital role in securing India’s maiden World Cup.
Fast forward to 2011 and the history repeated itself yet again! Indian bowlers emerged as the unsung heroes of the campaign. Under the leadership of MS Dhoni, the team clinched the World Cup title at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Throughout the tournament, the bowling unit, led by Zaheer Khan, was pivotal in restricting opposition and keeping them at bay. The trio of Yuvraj Singh, Munaf Patel and Harbhajan Singh contributed significantly.
12 years later, The Indian cricket team is looking more fierce than ever before, with the bowling department wreaking havoc and making the most of the home conditions on offer. Let’s have a look at how the bowlers sent shivers down the spines of the opposition in these editions and won matches for their side.
1983: Kapil Dev’s men defy expectations!
Following forgettable outings in 1975 and 1979, the Indian cricket team entered the ICC World Cup 1983 as the dark horses, determined to make up for the embarrassment of the previous two editions.
The Kapil Dev-led side announced their arrival with a resounding 34-run win over two-time defending champions West Indies. Riding on Yashpal Sharma’s steady 120-ball 89, all-round bowling performance, led by pace duo Ravi Shastri and Roger Binny’s three-wicket hauls, raised the eyebrows of many in what was a major upset.
In the final league phase match against Australia, India needed a win to qualify for the semis. Courtesy of Roger Binny and Madan Lal’s terrific four-wicket hauls, Team India defended 247 to record yet another upset as they emerged victorious by 118 runs to set up a semis encounter versus the hosts England.
The Indian bowling unit, which earned the deserved reputation by now, did not put their foot off the pedal to overcome the Englishmen in their own backyard.
Captain Kapil Dev (3/35), Roger Binny (2/43) and Mohinder Amarnath (2/27) helped their team bundle England out for 213 on the board, which was comfortably chased with six wickets to spare.
Determined to avenge their loss earlier in the tournament, West Indies entered the summit clash as the favourites to lift the trophy for the third successive time, only to be undone by a well-knit Indian side once again. Against all odds, Team India registered a statement 43-run win.
En route to the coveted silverware, the Indian bowlers demonstrated what they were capable of, dismantling the opposition batting lineup time and again.
Roger Binny (18) and Madan Lal (17) finished as the leading wicket-takers of the tournament. The trio of Kapil Dev (12), Mohinder Amarnath (8) and Balwinder Sandhu (8) chipped in with handy contributions, making it a tournament to remember for the pace bowlers.
2011: An agonising 28-year wait ends!
A series of heartbreaks followed the 1983 success, with Team India unable to replicate the 1983 heroics.
However, it was arguably worth the wait as MS Dhoni and co. lifted the 2011 World Cup, with the bowling department playing an integral role in the team’s second triumph at the marquee event.
Southpaw Zaheer Khan finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker alongside Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi, with 21 scalps in nine matches. Interestingly, Zaheer Khan did not record any four-wicket or five-wicket haul, but was consistent with the new ball in the powerplay phase, putting brakes on the scoring rate.
Among his breathtaking performances, his opening spell of 5-3-6-1 in the final against Sri Lanka stands out, which set the tone for the rest of the Indian bowlers.
With four wins, one loss and one tie in six group phase fixtures, Team India finished second in Group B to face arch-rivals Pakistan in the semis for a spot in the final.
Batting first, Sachin Tendulkar’s 85-run knock helped India post 260/9 on the board. Thereafter, all five bowlers, namely Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra and Yuvraj Singh took two wickets each to keep the unbeaten record against Pakistan intact in the ICC World Cup meetings.
The final against Sri Lanka saw Zaheer Khan (2/60), Harbhajan Singh (1/50) and Yuvraj Singh (2/49) bag wickets as the Kumar Sangakkara-led side set a 275-run target at the Wankhede stadium. Gautam Gambhir (97) and MS Dhoni’s (91 not out) masterclass innings ensured India their second ICC World Cup crown.
As far as the bowlers were concerned, Zaheer Khan (21) and Yuvraj Singh (15) led the pack. Munaf Patel (11), Harbhajan Singh (9), Ravichandran Ashwin (4), Piyush Chawla (4) and experienced Ashish Nehra (3) also proved to be fundamental in India’s resurgent run towards the trophy.
2023: Pace sensation galore!
The aftermath of the ICC World Cup 2011 saw India bow out in the semis in 2015 and 2019, with the Indian team dominating in the group phase each time out.
Nonetheless, the two-time champions have gone one step further this time out and have cemented their place in the final to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on November 19, 2023.
The pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammad Shami has been the talk of the town throughout the competition, bowling some resounding spells to leave the opposition teams in tatters.
With Bumrah and Siraj bowling in tandem in the powerplay phase, teams have found it difficult to tackle the lethal pace-bowling exhibition as the pair has been consistent in providing early breakthroughs for India.
Mohammad Shami, who came into the starting XI following Hardik Pandya’s unfortunate injury, has been right on the money, taking 23 wickets in just six matches at an economy of 5.01, including one four-wicket and three five-wicket hauls.
In the semi-final against New Zealand, Mohammad Shami recorded 7/57 in the second innings to register the best figures by an Indian bowler in ODIs, eclipsing Stuart Binny’s 6/4 against Bangladesh in 2014.
Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Kuldeep Yadav (15) have been phenomenal in the spin department. Moreover, this is only the second instance where five Indian bowlers have taken 10 or more wickets each, speaking volumes about their dominance in the ongoing tournament.
This brings us to the question: What is that common thread in the 1983, 2011 and 2023 ICC World Cup campaigns? The answer lies in the fantastic bowling performances which leaves opposition teams scratching their heads for answers!
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