Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: April 2, 2011 saw one of the greatest chapters of Indian cricket being written as the nation lifted the ODI World Cup for the second time, 28 years after the first, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. 14 years later, on the anniversary of the famous win, the players of that 2011 WC winning squad still look back on that night in Mumbai fondly and took to social media to celebrate the occasion.
“ON THIS DAY in 2011, India scripted history by winning the ICC Cricket World Cup! I still get goosebumps thinking about that iconic moment when @msdhoni hit that six! But it wasn’t just about one person, it was a team effort! Huge appreciation for the entire team’s hard work, dedication & perseverance! @GautamGambhir’s 97, @sachin_rt’s valuable contributions throughout, @YUVSTRONG12 all-round brilliance, @harbhajan_singh ‘s crucial wickets, @ImZaheer exceptional bowling & the entire support staff! @BCCI We all made India proud! #IndiaWinsWorldCup #2011WorldCup #Cricket #TeamIndia,” read the post by Suresh Raina on X.
“14 years ago #OnThisDay in 2011, we won the 50 over world cup after 28 years. 42 years now and 2 World Cups. Shows how difficult it is and what a significant day it was for all of us to make the dream come true. A day I can never forget. Hoping we win the next one in 2 years,” read the post by Virender Sehwag.
Sri Lanka, who were chasing their second World Cup title, made the most of their opportunity while batting first and gave India a stiff target of 275. Mahela Jayawardene scored a brilliant century and struck 13 fours in his innings to score an unbeaten 103 from just 88 balls.
During the chase, fans were left emotionally battered after Lasith Malinga dismissed Sachin Tendulkar, leaving India at a precarious 31/2 in the sixth over. However, a heroic innings by Gautam Gambhir (97) along with an exceptional captain’s knock from Dhoni (91*) saved India the blushes and saw the Men in Blue lift the World Cup after 28 years.
The celebrations that night continued until the wee hours of the morning. The tri-colour was flying high, and it was truly a moment for every Indian to cherish. There’s no denying that April 2, 2011, remains one of the greatest days in Indian cricket history.
The 2011 ICC WC final was significant in more ways than one, as it also saw perhaps the greatest player to don the Indian jersey, Tendulkar, represent the nation one last time in an ICC tournament.
Player of the Tournament, Yuvraj Singh, also took to social media and claimed the famous victory to ensure the legend gets the farewell he deserves.
“April 2, 2011 — the night we did it for a billion people… and for one man who carried Indian cricket on his shoulders for over two decades. That World Cup wasn’t just a win. It was a thank you to a legend. We grew up watching @sachin_rt. That night, we played to give him the moment he deserved. 14 years later, the memory of India’s win still gives me goosebumps. A night we’ll never forget. @BCCI #throwback #WC2011,” read the post by Yuvraj on X.
