Almost four decades ago, ‘Kapil’s Devils’ scripted perhaps the biggest upset in the history of cricket when they beat the mighty West Indies in the final at Lord's to lift the 1983 World Cup. On July 15 and 16, that historic match, and India’s entire stunning run during that tournament, will be replayed at Lord’s, but on the screen, with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) staging a special screening of the movie on both the days. This is the first time that the MCC, which is the custodian of the laws of the game, has allowed a movie to be screened on the Lord's cricket ground.

Meanwhile, a grand event is being planned in Mumbai on July 24, 25 and 26 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that triumph, which is etched in the hearts of all Indian cricket lovers. "The entire team of the 1983 World Cup will be present on that occasion. Something big will be unveiled at that time," a source told this paper.

Present at the '83' movie screening at Lord's will be a couple of members of India's 1983 World Cup team, including former pacer Balwinder Singh Sandhu, whose in swinger famously dislodged West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge, and '83' movie director Kabir Khan. Sandhu is also the associate director of '83', which was released in December 2021.

“I have been invited for the special screening of '83' at Lord's, because I played in the real World Cup and was a part of the making of the movie on our historic feat too. I was asked by our captain Kapil Dev and Kabir Khan to attend the screening. If Kapil is free, at that time, he will come too. This is the first time ever that the MCC has allowed a movie screening at the Lord's cricket ground. People will watch the movie while sitting on the ground-there will be a picnic-type atmosphere. There will be a 30-minute interval, during which a small program will be held," Sandhu told Mumbai Mirror from Toledo, near Detroit, in the US, where he has gone to meet his daughter.

"When I played in the World Cup, I saw Lord’s from inside the boundary rope. While making the film, I was seeing Lord's from the outside. While we were recreating the emotions of our memorable triumph, things began to hit me. Overcome with emotions, I cried several times during the making of the film. Those feelings penetrated my mind. While you are playing, you are only focused on the game, but here I was watching our feat on 5 monitors! You go through a different set of feelings once you step on the Lord's turf. Even the actors were feeling the aura of Lord's," he said.

"I am blessed to be a part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, and then also be a part of the making of the movie on our historic victory. God has been kind to me," Sandhu added.