Kirti Azad exposes viral 1983 FIFA World Cup winning bill, calls it ‘fake’

1983 World Cup viral account is fake, says Kirti Azad (Image: X) Former Indian cricketer and World Cup winner Kirti Azad has strongly rejected a viral image on social media that falsely claimed to show a hotel bill from India’s iconic 1983 World Cup victory celebrations. The 1983 World Cup-winning star clarified in an interview with X that the widely circulated receipt is completely fake and even accused the makers of forging Kapil Dev’s signature on document.The viral image claimed to be a restaurant and grill invoice from London’s Grosvenor Hotel dated June 25, 1983, the same night India stunned the mighty West Indies at Lord’s to win their first Cricket World Cup title. The so-called bill included luxury items such as Moët champagne, steaks, whisky, beer and Dunhill cigarettes, with the total allegedly totaling £764. To make the document look authentic, the fake invoice also bore a bold signature resembling Kapil Dev’s autograph, creating widespread discussion and nostalgia across social media platforms. However, Kirti Azad was quick to silence the rumours, clarifying that the Indian team never celebrated after the historic triumph at the Grosvenor Hotel. According to Azad, the team’s celebrations were actually held at the Westmoreland Hotel, exposing the viral receipt as a complete fabrication.”This is fake. It’s all over social media. We stayed at the Westmoreland Hotel, next to Lords Cricket Ground in London. After the victory on 25 June 1983, celebrations continued throughout the night until the morning of 26 June. We never went to this hotel. Kapil Dev’s signature is also forged,” Azad wrote on X.The final of the 1983 Cricket World Cup was held on 25 June 1983 at Lord’s, London, where underdogs India managed to defeat two-time defending champions West Indies by 43 runs. This historic victory shattered the era of absolute dominance by the West Indies and fundamentally shifted the global epicenter of cricket to India.