1983 World Cup stars re-unite

It was an old boy`s reunion party on the New Delhi golf course where camaraderie was in full bloom and anecdotes flowed like old wine from the bunch of 1983 World Cup winning cricketers. Twelve members including team manager Man Singh signed a cricket bat adorned with 25 carat diamonds. The bat will be auctioned in London on Wednesday, during the silver jubilee celebrations of the 1983 World Cup win and the proceeds will be presented to the team members. Delhi. They shared the fond memories of the historic triumph after 25 years, on a golf course with their bats replacing golf clubs at the Jaypee Greens Golf Course in Greater Noida Sunday. Some of the dressing-room talk was revealed for the first time despite captain Kapil Dev`s best efforts to keep them private. Stories like Yashpal Sharma forcing Krishnamachari Srikkanth to watch Bollywood blockbuster `Kranti` several times to improve the latter`s Hindi made the handful of spectators burst into laughter. The players, who have since become legends, were also given a red carpet welcome by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As World-Cup winning captain Kapil Dev introduced his so-called `Devils` one by one on the dais, he was overcome with emotion. `It is very difficult to talk at this moment. We will never know how it happened. In life many such things happen. Later in your life you come to know how beautiful those moments were,` said Kapil. He paid rich tributes to the fans. `Twenty-five years back the love and affection that we got from the people was unparalleled. It can never match any amount of money.` Kapil also thanked the selectors and then board president NKP Salve for extending all support to them. `Salve`s leadership skills were par excellence,` he said. Former captains Chandu Borde and Bishan Singh Bedi, who were in the selection committee then, were present at the occasion. Board president Sharad Pawar said the historic victory accelerated the popularity of the game in the country and put Indian cricket on an upward path. Also present on the occasion were Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Mohammed Azharuddin and former board presidents Salve and Ranbir Singh Mahendra. `The win gave us a strong position that we enjoy in world cricket right now,` Pawar said. Each of the team members was presented with a cheque of Rs 25 lakhs and were felicitated by Pawar and Sports Minister MS Gill.