The images on the Weston television had never looked so grand as they did that night when a bunch of cricketers transformed into Kapil’s Devils.

Patna businessman Ajit Kumar, now 51, recalls that balmy Saturday evening of June 25, 1983, as if it were yesterday.

“The final of 1983 was something no one can forget. Cricket was a rich man’s game then. ‘Poor’ India came along, defeated England, the inventors of the game in the semi-final, played their hearts out and won,” says Kumar.

Kumar, a student at the Vanijya Mahavidyalaya then, watched the match at his home with a few friends. “The excitement was always there, but it was not something that we see now. Cricket, for India, was just a game then. Now, it is like a religion for many.”

The match was telecast live on Doordarshan — back then, not all games were telecast live. The semi-final, in which India triumphed by six wickets, was beamed live. But not that epoch-making victory against Zimbabwe when Kapil Dev struck an unbeaten 175 to rescue his team that was tottering at 17 for five. In fact, no footage exists of the match — apparently the venue of Tunbridge Wells and the contestants were deemed too inconsequential for a live telecast.

That victory gave the team the confidence it needed and they were ready to take on the mighty West Indies in the final.

Clive Lloyd won the toss and put the Indians into bat. “We were expecting Sunil Gavaskar to do something extraordinary. He was a wonderful player off his pads. But when he got out for just 2 (caught behind by Jeff Dujon off Andy Roberts), we were sad. I remember a friend of mine got so angry that he left the room and never returned. Then Srikkanth and Amarnath started to build up a partnership. Srikkanth fell for a quick-fire 38, which included seven boundaries, among them a spectacular off drive, played on his knees, off Garner, and a six from a hook off a Roberts bouncer. He was our Sachin then, fearless and imperious,” Kumar said.

But Srikkanth fell with the scoreboard reading 59 and when Amarnath was bowled by Holding, the total was a not-so-healthy 90 for 3. “This opened the floodgates and the wickets started tumbling. The Windies pace attack was simply too good for India. Yashpal Sharma (the hero of the semi-final) went cheaply and it was only Sandeep Patil, who with a 29-ball 27, helped India get to 183,” Kumar said.

Like the rest of India, Kumar’s hopes had rested on Kapil, who managed only 15, and on the swashbuckling Bihar boy Kirti Azad, who was out for a third-ball duck.

“Hopes were on Kapil. But he couldn’t do much. We were angry not knowing that Kapil would do something very special when India fielded. With India bundled out for just 183 and West Indies having batsmen like Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and Lloyd in their line-up, we all believed the Cup was theirs,” he said. A few of his friends wandered off at this moment.

Most of India felt that way but they, and Ajit Kumar, hadn’t bargained for one Balwinder Singh Sandhu.

The medium-pacer hadn’t done anything of note before, nor would he do anything spectacular later, but he came up with a delivery that became known as the ball of the tournament. He curled one in to Greenidge — the great opening batsman shouldered arms only to see his off stump in disarray. There were not too many moments to rival that for sheer delirious pleasure.

“We were overjoyed. And when Haynes was caught at mid-off by Binny off Madan Lal for 13, we were ecstatic and jumping in joy,” said Kumar.

At the other end though, Richards was batting as if he was in a hurry to reach the target. He smacked a couple of boundaries when the vagaries of Doordarshan showed up.

“The television went on the blink,” recalled Kumar. Doordarshan had lost its signal from London. But Kumar, knowing the national broadcaster’s ways and the uncertainties of the game, had kept a radio handy and tuned the set to catch the BBC commentary.

“We were in time to hear Richards, who was threatening to win the match single-handedly, getting out for 33, Kapil taking a brilliant catch sprinting backwards at mid-wicket off Madan Lal.”

No one in India watched live the moment that swung the match. “Suddenly we realised the match could be ours now. My gang of eight friends returned. Shouts, it was just about shouts now. Lloyd was limping (he had suffered a pulled hamstring) and he soon mistimed a shot off Binny and lobbed a catch to Kapil at cover for eight,” Kumar said.

Amarnath, he recalled, bowled a magical spell. “Though he took just three wickets, he gave away only 12 runs. His medium pace and perfect line and length foxed the Windies. The other batsmen hung around, but couldn’t score. The wickets started falling in a heap and when Holding was trapped LBW by Amarnath to end the Windies innings, it was madness. We were out on the streets shouting and screaming on the top of our voices. Fire-crackers were burst as if there was no tomorrow. It was a night without end,” Kumar added.

Kumar hopes India will recreate the magic again tomorrow at the Wankhede. He had stopped seeing the 2003 final after Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed early.

“It is time we shouted and screamed with the same happiness again. Hope Dhoni and his men give this to us,” Kumar said.