The BCCI has announced a significant prize of Rs 125 crore for the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup title.
Yet, a former Indian cricketer, part of the historic 1983 World Cup-winning squad led by Kapil Dev, has urged the board to also honor and reward their team.
In the 1983 World Cup final, India, captained by Kapil Dev, achieved a remarkable victory by defeating the formidable West Indies, two-time defending champions, by 43 runs. India scored 183 runs in their allotted 60 overs and then showcased exceptional bowling prowess to restrict West Indies to just 140 runs.
Madan Lal and Mohinder Amarnath stood out with three wickets each, securing India’s victory and announcing their arrival as a cricketing powerhouse on the global stage.
The former player pointed out that unlike the current era where substantial prize money is awarded, the 1983 champions received no financial rewards at the time, as the BCCI claimed financial constraints.
However, he acknowledged the board’s improved financial position now allows for such significant prize announcements.
“Rs 125 crore is huge. Happy for Team India. Well, we were not given cash rewards at that time (after 1983 World Cup victory), because board (BCCI) had said ‘we don’t have money’. Now they can give, what is stopping them? Only a few players (of that team) are getting work, rest are struggling. BCCI should look into it,” a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian team told IANS on condition of anonymity.
In recognition of their remarkable achievement, the BCCI awarded each player a modest cash prize of Rs 25,000. Upon hearing about this relatively low amount, the late renowned singer Lata Mangeshkar took initiative to honor the team’s success. She organized a musical concert in Delhi aimed at raising funds for the World Cup-winning squad. Thanks to her efforts, each player was presented with Rs 1 lakh as a token of appreciation.
