Payslip shows money earned by India players for match vs Pak after winning 1983 World Cup

25 June 1983– Kapil Dev and his troops etched India’s name into the history books by defeating a dominant West Indies side and clinching the country’s first-ever World Cup. 37 years after the triumph, the glimpse of skipper Kapil Dev holding the silverware at Lord’s is still fresh in the mind of every Indian fan.

The World Cup was hosted in England and Wales, with West Indies being the favourites to clinch the coveted trophy. The Caribbean side, after winning the toss, put India to bat first and the Men in Blue could only amass 183 runs on the board. Considering the depth of the West Indies squad, it seemed like a cakewalk for them.

However, Kapil Dev had other plans as India curbed West Indies at only 143 runs on the back of the perfect decision-making power of the Indian skipper. Madan Lal and Amarnath scalped 3 wickets each with an economy of 2.58 & 1.71 respectively, as India scripted history by winning the encounter by 43 runs.

Skipper Dev was the top-scorer of the tournament, scoring 303 runs in eight matches. Whereas Roger Binny emerged as the top wicket-taker by scalping 18 in eight outings. The Indian side was equipped with many stars in its arsenal during that glorious era.

I remember it to this date what I got: Ramiz Raja

Cricketer-turned-commentator and former Pakistan international Ramiz Raja, on Sunday, shared payslip of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team. The Indian players were given a daily allowance of INR 200 per for three days, amounting to a total of INR 600. On top of that, the match fee of the players was INR 1500, taking the total amount allotted to a player to INR 2100. In those days, INR 2100 was considered a hefty sum of money.

Furthermore, Raja also compared the amount with the money which he got paid for the Indian tour in 1986-87. He recalled that he had got paid PKR 55000 for playing five Tests and six ODIs. “Had to reproduce this… will try to get a copy of what we got paid for the Indian tour in 86-87. I remember it to this date what I got: played 5 Tests and 6 ODI’s and got paid Rs 55000,” shared Raja on Twitter.

Had to reproduce this... will try to get a copy of what we got paid for the Indian tour in 86-87. I remember it to this date what I got: played 5 Tests and 6 ODI’s and got paid Rs 55000. pic.twitter.com/kbmGMkVGqE

— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) July 26, 2020

Over the years, cricket has grown by leaps and bounds, especially in terms of investments, endorsements and players’ salaries. According to reports, current Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s net worth can be estimated at around INR 900 crore, with INR 7 crore salary coming from his Grade A+ contract with the Indian board.