History was made at Lords by Kapil Dev and his men in 1983 and repeated after 28 years at Wankhade Stadium, Mumbai on Apr 2nd 2011, by M.S.Dhoni and company. Kumar Sangakara won the toss at Wankhade and chose to bat Sunday in the final of the World Cup 2011 against India. In the end India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets to clinch the coveted trophy.
M. S. Dhoni
It was the determined effort from Gautam Gambhir who scored 97 runs and a chanceless 91* from M.S.Dhoni which paved the way for India’s victory over Sri Lanka. This helped India overhaul the score of 274 set by Sri Lanka for India to win the title and it is the highest ever run chase in the World Cup final.
For Sri Lanka Jayawardane scored 103* and Sangakara 48 runs.
Dhoni had promoted himself up the order to No. 5 ahead of Yuvraj Singh just to prove his critics wrong regarding his batting performances. He slammed a chanceless 91* and when victory was in sight he hit 2 consecutive boundries and hit a six over long-on to send the spectators on the ground and millions across the country into raptures.
Yuvraj Singh
For the first time in a World Cup Final, the toss had to be taken twice as the umpire could not hear the call given by Sangakara. Then Zahir Khan sent down three consecutive maiden overs and it appeared that India had held Sri Lanka by the scruff of it’s neck.
India’s fielding had a totally different look as everyone was pouncing upon the ball with tremendous energy. Yuvraj Singh did a Jonty Rhodes at the point region when he flew in the air to pounce upon a shot by Sangakara which was sure to have fetched him 4 runs.
Despite the fielding standards set by Indian eleven, Sri Lanka rose from 63 in the first power play to 274 for 6 and this was surely a fighting total.
Lasit Malinga did the initial damage when he sent back Sehwag who was out lbw and Sachin Tendulkar caught by Sangakara and the Indian score read a pathetic 31 for 2. Sehwag was out only on the second ball he had faced.
Since India lost two early wickets and and were 31 for 2, this match was not left for the weak hearted. The world was impatiently waiting for the Century of centuries from the little master on Saturday but that was not to be.
Gautam Gambhir
But Gautam Gambhir and young Virat Kohli had other ideas. They were in no mood to surrender and together they took upon themselves the herculean task of rebuilding the innings brick by brick. Their third wicket contrition of 83 runs laid the foundation of India’s victory. Kohli fell on a personal score of 35 runs made from 59 balls and was caught single-handedly by Dilshan off his own bowling.
In came Dhoni at the fall of Kohli ahead of Yuvraj Singh and together they contributed a 109 run stand. Gautam Gambhir was at 97 and was desperate to reach his first century in the World Cup encounters, but that was not to be. He stepped out to hid Perera and Sangakara did the rest. But by that time Gambhir and Dhoni had brought India to the door steps of victory. Gambhir had hit nine fours during his stay at the crease and his can be said to be a patient knock.
However, when Kohli was brilliantly caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan for 35, India were 124 for 3 after 25 overs, needing another 151 to secure the crown for the first time in 28 years.
The decision to omit both Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath, whose combined efforts had been so effective against England and New Zealand, is one that will haunt Sri Lanka for years to come.
In the final match of his career, Muttiah Muralitharan was held back until the 19th over, and though he started with a long-hop that was cut straight to point, he might have made the breakthrough from his second ball, as Gambhir galloped back for a second run to third man only for Sangakkara to fumble the shy as it bounced awkwardly in front of him.
In the end it was 97 runs of Gautam Gambhir and a splendid knock of 91* from Dhoni spelt doom for Sri Lanka and brought laurels to team India.
M.S.Dhoni was declared Man of the match.
Yuvraj Singh was declared the Man of the tournament.
During the presentations ceremony Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni silenced the critics of his team, saying that the World Cup triumph has answered them. He said that a couple of decisions taken by him in Saturday’s summit showdown against Sri Lanka could have been criticised had his side not won the World Cup.
“I always wanted to give chance to to younger players by sending them up the order. Today, I thought I would take the responsibility myself. It was more like proving myself and not to others,” he said.
“A few decisions I have taken today, including why I brought in S Sreesanth instead of Ravichandran Ashwin and why I promoted myself in the batting order ahead of Yuvraj who has been in great form. It could have been that the decisions cost the match,” he said at the post-match presentation after India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets.
He praised Gautam Gambhir (97) and Virat Kohli (35) for keeping the team on track after the early dismissal of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.
Ravi Matah.