“I wasn’t invited…”, says Kapil Dev the captain who led India to 1983 WC victory; Ranveer Singh, who played Kapil Dev on screen was invited

Former Indian Cricket team captain Kapil Dev has claimed that he wasn’t invited for the World Cup final match on Sunday between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi stadium in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. India was the hosting country. After India reached the final, there had been expectations building up if India would be able to lift the cup after 2011. Amidst such fervour came the claim of Kapil Dev, one who led Indian team as a captain to its first ever ODI World Cup title in 1983.

“I wasn’t invited there. They didn’t call me so I did not go. As simple as that. I wanted the whole ’83 team to be there with me but I guess due to the fact that it’s such a big event and people are so busy handling responsibilities, sometimes they forget,” Kapil told ABP News.

BCCI, the Indian cricket body that was in charge of the event was also in charge of the invites. The board hasn’t issued any clarification if claims made by Kapil Dev were true. On the match day on Sunday, cameras had captured the presence of Sourav Ganguly, former captain and BCCI president along with other celebrities including actor Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.

Interestingly Ranveer Singh, the actor who played Kapil Dev on screen in the movie titled ’83’ was also invited and was seen on the stands sitting next to Deepika Padukone. BCCI, the board where Jay Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is the secretary, had come under severe criticism from political parties and cricket fans over “handling of the grand event”. “…if the Indian Cricket Board genuinely valued cricket, they should have invited Kapil Dev”, said Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut while expressing disappointment.

Kapil Dev later on Sunday after the heartbreaking defeat of India had extended his support to Rohit Sharma,the captain. Rohit Sharma was seen dejected after the loss and also in tears. Kapil Dev took to Instagram and said that the team played like champions and should keep their chin up. "You've played like champions boys. Keep your chin up. The trophy was the ultimate in your minds but you've emerged winners nonetheless. India is proud of you," Kapil Dev wrote on his Instagram post.