5 crucial catches dropped or caught in Cricket World Cup finals

#2 1983: Kapil Dev catches Viv Richards

Viv Richards pulls Madan Lal Kapil Dev after completing Viv's catch

India looked down and out in the 1983 World Cup final after scoring just 183 batting first against mighty West Indies who had won the previous two World Cups; until Kapil Dev happened. Viv Richards came to the crease after an early fall of Gordon Greenidge at 5. Viv scored a quick fire 33 with his usual flamboyance hitting 7 boundaries in the process. He had to be stopped, somehow, otherwise India had no chance.

Madan Lal, who had got Desmond Haynes out reducing the West Indies to 50 for 2, bowled a slightly shorter one to Richards who mistimed a pull shot to deep midwicket. Kapil Dev ran backwards 15 to 20 yards keeping his eyes on the ball all the way and took a mesmerising catch. This is probably the most viewed, discussed and analyzed catch in the history of limited overs cricket. And rightly so!

What happened next:

West Indies kept losing wickets after regular intervals and were reduced to 76 for 6 at one point before Dujon and Marshal led a short fight back. But Mohinder Amarnath removed both of them and the tail to take India to a very famous victory – its first World Cup trophy.

“I don’t know from where did he come to take the catch? When Kapil was running back waving to the nearest fielder to get out of the way, I knew my time was over”

– Viv Richards on Kapil Dev’s catch in 1983 World Cup final that dismissed him