Retired Mumbai dentist Steve Yi, who watched India raise the cup in 1983 and 2011, is hoping the crew might be third-time fortunate.
In 1983, he was 23 when he watched India beat West Indies. A few neighbours and mates had come over to his residence to observe the match as TV units have been a novelty. “We had a 20in(50cm) TV and the match was screened on the one channel available – Doordarshan,” he says. During the match, he remembers working as much as the terrace to regulate the TV antenna each time the wind blew it astray.
“India had chosen to bat first and had made a very poor score. We were all dejected and were sure we’d lose. But then, Mohinder Amarnath, this languid slow bowler, took a couple of wickets and things started looking up. We were jubilant when India won, because it seemed almost impossible,” says Dr Yi.
The subsequent time India gained was practically three a long time later and Dr Yi was 51. He checked the rating on a flat-screen TV in his workplace in between appointments with sufferers. “There were celebrations everywhere, we had waited a long time for a win,” he says.
Now 63, Dr Yi has invited some mates residence to observe the match collectively on his 55in (139cm) HDTV. This is the strongest the Indian crew has ever been, he says, including that he’s assured of a win.