3 Captains who turned underdog teams into world champions

In sports, everyone loves an underdog story. A team that was tipped as mere participants winning the tournament is the stuff of dreams. Cricket has also produced some extraordinary underdog stories in its rich history. 

Behind many of those victories were captains who gave their teams the belief to achieve what seemed impossible to many. There have been several great leaders in the history of the game who went on to inspire their teams to historic triumphs. Here are three such leaders:

1. Kapil Dev

India entered the 1983 Cricket World Cup without anyone giving them a chance to lift the trophy. However, Kapil Dev changed that narrative with his fearless leadership. He led his team from the front, smashing a record-breaking 175* (138) in a must-win match against Zimbabwe to help his team recover from a precarious position of 17/5. India also defeated West Indies in the group stage and later stunned England in the semi-final to enter their maiden World Cup final.

In the summit clash at Lord's, India were bowled out for only 183, but a remarkable bowling and fielding display completely flipped the script as West Indies were skittled for just 140. As a result, Kapil inspired his men to deliver one of cricket's greatest upsets, guiding India to their maiden World Cup triumph.

2. Imran Khan

Pakistan's 1992 World Cup campaign looked destined for an early exit. After a poor start, the team’s chances of qualifying for the knockouts were bleak. However, Imran Khan was in no mood to surrender and famously inspired his players to fight like “cornered tigers.”

Pakistan scripted a sensational comeback as they progressed to the semi-finals and defeated New Zealand to face England in the final in Melbourne.

Imran scored a crucial 72 before leading his bowling attack as Pakistan defended their total. England were dismissed for 227, giving the Men in Green their first World Cup title.

Hence, Imran Khan inspired his team to script one of the greatest comebacks in cricket history, guiding underdogs Pakistan to their maiden World Cup triumph.

3. Arjuna Ranatunga

Sri Lanka entered the 1996 World Cup as an exciting team, but lifting the trophy seemed a far-fetched dream. Led by Arjuna Ranatunga, they adopted an aggressive approach that went on to revolutionise one-day cricket.

Sri Lanka's explosive opening strategy, led by Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, caught teams off guard, while Ranatunga's calm leadership complemented the team's fearless style.

Sri Lanka eventually beat Australia by seven wickets in the final, becoming the first team to successfully chase the target in a World Cup final. Ranatunga’s astute leadership took his team to unprecedented heights and began a new era in Sri Lanka’s cricket history.