They didn’t call me so I did not go: Kapil Dev reveals he wasn’t invited for India-Australia ODI WC final

India played Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final on Sunday (Nov 19) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue lost to the Aussies by six wickets while defending 240, as Travis Head's 137 made a mockery of the below-par target set by the hosts. During the game, a lot of dignitaries and celebrities were in attendance whereas PM Narendra Modi also visited the stadium.

However, Kapil Dev -- India's 1983 World Cup-winning captain -- was not in attendance, which made heads turn. During an interaction with ABP News, Kapil stated that he wasn't invited to the mega final by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). As per reports, it was believed that the BCCI had plans to invite and honour all the ex-World Cup winning captains from the past. 

“I wasn’t invited. 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,” Dev can be heard saying in a video, which is available on social media X, while speaking to ABP News.

Also read: World Cup Final: Sachin Tendulkar comes to India's aid, consoles emotional Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli

Even MS Dhoni -- India's ODI WC winning captain in 2011 -- was speculated to be in attendance for the final. However, he was also not seen in the stands. Sourav Ganguly, former Indian skipper and BCCI chief, was present for the match, which turned one-sided with Pat Cummins & Co.'s dominance.

Team India had a memorable run in the entire mega event at home, winning 10 games on the trot, but succumbed to pressure in the final and missed out on another opportunity to win an ICC title.