CHANDIGARH, SEPT 9 :Twenty five years after they made history all 14 squad members, and the team management of India’s victorious cricket World Cup winning team of 1983, has confirmed they will continue their global silver anniversary celebrations at a star-studded event in Dubai’s latest landmark.
Channel 2 Group today announced in Dubai that they would be bringing the ‘Legends of Lords’ to Dubai at the end of October for a couple of days of activity, concluding in a glittering gala dinner ceremony on October 23, at Dubai’s latest landmark, the Atlantis Dubai. The event is organized by Grandstand Arabia, a joint venture company of Channel 2 Group Corporation and the Media Factory.
Speaking at the private launch Channel 2 Group’s Chairman, Ajay Sethi thanked Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar for attending and was under no illusions that this would be a night to remember. "To be able to bring such a prestigious event as this to the UAE is a huge privilege for me personally and the Channel 2 Group as a whole. The whole team made India proud 25 years ago, and I am sure that we in Dubai will be proud of the celebrations we have in store for them next month," he said.
The captain of that victorious team, Kapil Dev, was in Dubai to personally launch the event with another of the country’s greatest players, Sunil Gavaskar. "Our victory twenty five years ago was a huge moment for us as players and as a nation as a whole," said Kapil Dev during an exclusive launch event.
"It gives me great pride to see that our efforts are still remembered today by people of all ages and I can speak for the whole team when I say that we are really looking to continue or silver anniversary celebrations in a city as vibrant as Dubai" he added.
Sunil Gavaskar also said how much he was looking forward to catching up with old friends and explained just how unique this event is. "The team that went to England in 1983 was not given much of a chance by anyone, but we got a team spirit going in those couple of weeks that not only won us the Cup, but also forged friendships for years to come.
It’s very rare that a few of us get together under the same roof these days, let alone all of us, so it will be a great experience for us, as well as the cricket fans of Dubai 11, he said.
It goes down as one of the great sporting achievements of the modern era. When the Indian cricket team arrived in England at the beginning of June for the 1983 Cricket World Cup, no’ one gave them a chance. When they left a couple of weeks biter they were household names, sporting idols, and national heroes – World Champions. Fourteen men’ came together to defy all odds to pull off one of the great sporting campaigns of All time, arid write themselves into the games history books.
Their progress through the tournament was one thing. Their victory over the invincible West Indian team in the final is the stuff of legends. Any Indian cricket fan of a certain age will remember where they were on June 25, 1983 and any cricket fan will tell you it was the day that Indian one-day cricket came of age.
Now 25 years on the significance and impact of those achievements are still as poignant as ever as we prepare to celebrate the silver anniversary of India’s golden generation of cricketers. In an unprecedented move, all 14 legends of that World Cup winning squad will be under one roof in Dubai on October 23 for a night of reflection, remembrance and celebration as we revitalize the legend of 83 with the legends of the game.
‘Legends of Lords’ will be one of the biggest sporting celebrations ever hosted in Dubai with all 14 members of the victorious squad – Sunil Gavaskar, Krish Srikkanth, Mohinder Amaranth, Madan Lal Sharma, Sandeep Patil, Kapil Dev (captain), Kirti Azad, Roger Binny,Yashpal Sharma, Syed KirmanLBalwinder Singh Sandhu, Ravi Shastri Sunil Valson, Dilip Vengsarkar and team manager P.R.Man Singh, all together again under one roof to share their thoughts, memories and anecdotes about the tournament that has been described as "India’s greatest sporting achievement, and one that defined its cricket."
Following glittering events in Bangalore, New Delhi and at the home of the famous victory, Lords; London, it has now been confirmed that the silver jubilee celebrations will conclude in Dubai with a star studded event attracting high profile guests from all walks of life, united by their passion for one of the greatest achievements in the modern game.
Famous faces from sport, stage and screen are being lined up to help a who’s who of dignitaries and VIP,s celebrate a defining chapter in the world of one-day cricket, with the architects of that inspirational victory, and to re-live the spirit of ’83. Indian RJand Media celebrity, Cyrus Broach will host the gala event, while musicians from across India will also be flown in to entertain.