Syed Kirmani was his usual relaxed self on that chilly morning of June 18, 1983, at Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells, near London. India's World Cup campaign had reached the crossroads and Kapil Dev's men had to win against Zimbabwe to stay in contention.
Kapil won the toss and Kirmani decided to park himself in a corner of the dressing room while enjoying his leisurely breakfast before taking a shower.
"I was in a towel getting ready for the shower. I never got to bat before No. 8 and so didn't really bother about the score. Suddenly there was a shout from the balcony outside, 'Kiri pad up'.
"Normally guys try to pull each other's legs by such acts and I decided to ignore it. Ten minutes later there was another similar shout. This time I took it seriously and peeped through the curtains.
"The scoreboard showed we were 17 for five and my towel almost dropped. The top-order had been walloped. I rushed into the shower and by the time I walked out it was 140 for eight in 34 overs," Kirmani reminisced during a chat with The Telegraph on Wednesday.
"Kapil had completed his 50 and I told him we had to show our will power and guts in such a situation. Fikar mat karo, maar ke marne ka hai."
What followed is now part of cricketing folklore. Kapil's unbeaten 175 catapulted India's total to 266 for 8, his score beating Glenn Turner's previous World Cup record of 171 not out for New Zealand against East Africa in 1975. He hit 16 fours and six sixes during his 138-ball innings, achieved at a strike rate of 126.81.
Kapil and Kirmani's unbroken partnership yielded 126 runs in the final 16 overs, the wicketkeeper's 24 not out the second highest score of the innings.
"I was lucky to be there at the non-striker's end. Zimbabwe bowlers Peter Rawson and Kevin Curran were spitting fire. The first two deliveries zipped past my nose and it was swinging like a boomerang.
"I had told Kapil that he would enjoy most of the strike and must have a go at the bowlers. Kapil was unimaginable in his strokeplay and seemed like he would hit anything out of the ground even with a toothpick. It was carnage of the bowling," recalled Kirmani, 70.
Kirmani also came to know how manager Man Singh turned superstitious and had pinned the players to their seats during their partnership.
"As our stand began to flourish, Man Singh asked the players not to move from their places in the dressing room. Krish Srikkanth had parked himself under a tree, chatting with his wife and smoking like a chimney.
"You're not supposed to throw cigarette butts around but there was no stopping Srikkanth. Thankfully nothing happened. At one point Srikkanth badly needed to go to the wash room and wanted to return to the dressing room. But Man sent him back saying if needed he could answer nature's call there itself," Kirmani said.
"We completed the 60 overs and as soon as the innings ended, Srikkanth sprinted to the dressing room. It was hilarious."
India won by 31 runs but Kapil's defining innings turned it around for India. India's juggernaut got the momentum and the belief showed in their final triumph at Lord's on June 25. The transformation from 66/1 outsiders to World Cup winners was complete.
Kirmani echoed the sentiments of millions of Indians when he regretted the lack of footage of the innings. On that epochal day, the BBC crew had a strike and there was no coverage. There've, however, been whispers that BBC didn't wish to cover a match featuring two low-ranked teams.
"That nostalgia can never be forgotten. Kapil's credentials and egoless personality were showcased on that day," Kirmani summed it up.
