Kirti Azad found himself in a state of disbelief. It had been merely 110 days since he held the Prudential Cup aloft on the balcony at Lord’s, basking in the glory of national acclaim alongside his teammates, known as Kapil’s Devils. However, that October morning brought a starkly different reality.
Which sense could he rely on? If he closed his eyes, the air was filled with chants of “Pakistan Zindabad.” If he shut his ears, his eyes were met with signs opposing his team, as well as posters of the former Pakistani captain, Imran Khan. Looking down, he saw the hands that held these placards also clutching trash, which would soon be thrown at the Indian players—bottles, stones, and even an apple.
Despite the chaotic atmosphere, he was not in Pakistan. The Chinar leaves were transitioning into vibrant shades of amber and rust, and beyond the stadium’s boundaries lay the serene Dal Lake, glimmering under the soft autumn sun. In that tranquil setting, cricket had arrived at what Amir Khusrow described as paradise. It was unmistakably India, with the Irani Cup scheduled to feature Jammu & Kashmir’s domestic red-ball champions against the Rest of India at the Sher-i-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar.
October 13, 1983, also fell on a Thursday, when India visited Srinagar for the stadium’s inaugural international match against the formidable West Indies, the very team they had triumphed over at Lord’s.
On the eve of this significant encounter, the valley extended its renowned hospitality to its guests, including the state’s Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, who hosted a feast featuring the local specialty, Wazwan.
Twelve individuals were apprehended for vandalizing the pitch while the players were on break for lunch. Among those arrested were Showkat Bakshi and Shabir Shah, names that would later gain notoriety in the narrative of Kashmiri separatism. It took until 2011 for a court to acquit all twelve, citing insufficient evidence.
The underlying causes behind the crowd’s behavior, the insults hurled, the slogans chanted, and the pitch destruction exceed the scope of this article. It is enough to say that a segment of the audience chose the cricket match as a platform to express pro-plebiscite sentiments.
Dilip Vengsarkar, who had a distinguished career with 245 international appearances, reflected on the match with a sense of regret. “It was the most forgettable match of my career,” he shared. “I don’t look back on that game fondly because the reality was so different from our expectations. We anticipated a supportive crowd cheering for India, but instead, they were against us, chanting anti-Indian slogans and displaying signs opposing our players.”
Having been in the sport for eight years, Vengsarkar had witnessed much, but he did not foresee this. “We were completely unaware of the brewing tension. The atmosphere had been welcoming the day before; we had no clue that such an incident would occur. Remember, this was shortly after the World Cup, with the historic ’83 team.”
In his book, *Runs ‘n Ruins*, Sunil Gavaskar expressed his surprise: “We were baffled by the pro-Pakistan chants, given that we were facing the West Indies, not Pakistan.”
Michael Holding echoed similar sentiments, recalling, “The stands were filled with Pakistani flags, and there was little support for India. I can’t even recall the match’s outcome. All I remember is the deafening cheers for Imran Khan, which indicated a clear lack of support for India.”
Holding had dismissed Kapil Dev during the match, which was marketed as the “Revenge Series.” The West Indies delivered that revenge in the chilly atmosphere of Kashmir, with India collapsing for 176 runs, while the visitors reached 108 without loss before a dust storm interrupted play. However, the turmoil in the stands overshadowed the match itself.
Madan Lal, a participant in the match, shared his perspective: “I remember the noise and chaos. I didn’t venture outside to witness the situation, but we were instructed to leave the venue and escorted back to our hotel. The unexpected turn of events shocked us, as we had all been looking forward to the game. Aside from that one faction, the crowd was generally enthusiastic, and even the organizers were caught off guard by the chaos.”
Forty-three years later, the landscape has transformed, though some wounds still linger. When Balwinder Sandhu was asked to reflect on that match…
