Ravi Shastri hails 2011 world cup surprises to remember The final – “Dhoni finished it off stylishly, the World Cup came back home after a gap of 28 years” – continues echo’s in the hearts of the Indian cricket fans. Dhoni hits iconic mid-wicket six against Sri Lanka Nouwan KulaskaraTeam India’s Wankhede stadium win in the city of Mumbai finally brought the trophy home after nearly three decades in almost every Indian’s hand.
Nonetheless, sapping from lower back pain during stalked matchnet final against Sri Lanka Dhoni was India captain then and example for the team that won India their 2nd ODI WC title. After 1983 under the captainship of Kapil Dev when Indians defeated the mighty West Indies at Lord’s Cricket Ground in finals of the ODI WC earned for first time for the country.
To complete 275 runs it was in the backyard home conditions of India for the last world cup that Dhoni out of sheer aggressiveness leap frogged over the dangerous and hard hitting yuvraj singh in the batting order at that time.
The captain of the India team didn’t take any charge owing mild pressures and played and remained not out with 91 runs from 79 balls. His innings were such that his mental state was splendid as well as his bat selection, 2 sixes and 8 fours featured in this outstanding innings.
The moment that all but ensured the win came in the 49th over Dhoni slammed Kulasekara for a memorable six, a stroke that has earned itself a place in the chronicles of Indian cricket.
From that memorable night in Mumbai, India has never reclaimed the ODI World Cup trophy.
The third World Cup trophy which India had it in their sights in 2015 and 2019 semi finals and finals respectively elude to common people only enhancing importance of Dhoni’s achievement in 2011 to history of Indian cricket.
Unlike any other captains in the world of cricket, it is only Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has won all the three major International Cricket Council (International Cricket Council or ICC) world cups as a captain. Marking the advent of T20 cricket in world over, under Dhoni’s captaincy, India registered it’s maiden title in ICC T20 World cup 2007. In 2011, while captaining the Indian team, he again won the ODI world cup after 28 years for India.
Two years later, in 2013, in the ICC champions trophy friendly match, he defeated England in the final.
Rohit Sharma Now it is not just history, Dhoni wins T20 World Cup as captain of India. Rohit Sharma at the helm, the Indians outclassed strugglers, South Africa in the final at Barbados and lifted the coveted trophy.
