Kapil Dev Absent as India’s First World Cup Winning Captain Not Invited to 2023 Final
The historic World Cup final between India and Australia took place on Sunday without the presence of one of India’s most iconic cricket legends. Kapil Dev, who captained India’s first World Cup winning team in 1983, revealed he was not invited to attend the match in Ahmedabad.
When speaking to the media, Kapil Dev revealed his wish to travel to the match with his fellow teammates from the 1983 World Cup-winning squad. However, the lack of an invitation prevented this reunion in honor of India’s maiden World Cup victory under Kapil’s leadership forty years ago.
“It would have been wonderful if the entire 1983 team that made history could have been there together. Unfortunately, an invitation was not sent my way,” a disappointed Kapil stated.
India vs Australia | Former India captain #KapilDev on November 19 claimed that he was not invited to the #WorldCup final between the hosts and Australia in Ahmedabad.https://t.co/8ws0TT2aZJ
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) November 20, 2023
Among the other high-profile attendees present were former captains like Sourav Ganguly, along with a glittering Bollywood presence including Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Ranveer Singh.
The absence of the first man to lead India to World Cup glory made for a notable omission from the guest list. Kapil’s presence alongside his 1983 comrades would have been a fitting tribute to the past.
In the final itself, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul played valiant innings of 54 and 66 to push India to 240. However, up against India’s score, Australia held firm to lift the trophy for a record sixth time.
The final was a tense, low-scoring affair dominated by disciplined bowling on a dry Ahmedabad surface. India fought hard but came up just short compared to Australia’s experience and composure under pressure.
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