2nd April 2011 symbolises a permanent milestone in the history of Indian cricket. MS Dhoni crowned Wankhede Stadium with his legendary six off Nuwan Kulasekara to lead India to victory in a World Cup that had been 28 years in the making and brought Sachin Tendulkar’s lifetime aspiration to fulfilment. The Indian national cricket team fought off massive pressure to achieve a fairy-tale victory against Sri Lanka while running after 275 which unified an entire nation obsessed with cricket in overwhelming joy. The remarkable batting performance of Mahela Jayawardene with 103 runs from 88 balls did not stop India from winning when Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh made vital breakthroughs.
India’s Rocky Start And Gambhir-Kohli’s Resilient Partnership
Lasith Malinga dismissed Virender Sehwag on the second delivery as India started their World Cup final chase at 275 running score from a shaky position. Sachin Tendulkar contributed 18 runs from his 14 balls until a catch to Kumar Sangakkara brought India to a troubling score of 31/2. During the 2011 World Cup final Gautam Gambhir alongside Virat Kohli produced an essential 83-run partnership as they scored 97 runs each from 122 and 49 balls respectively. MS Dhoni made a memorable late batting order decision to replace Yuvraj Singh ahead of his number when he stepped into the middle with Gambhir at the crease. The stand between Gambhir and Dhoni reached 109 runs when the duo took over from 114/3 which kept India’s victory hopes alive. Gambhir approached his first century until Thisara Perera ended his innings but Dhoni joined Yuvraj (21) to guide India toward victory.
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MS Dhoni’s Iconic Six Seals India’s Historic 2011 World Cup Victory
MS Dhoni made cricket history when he hit the winning boundary to end the game with 15 runs needed in 17 balls. “Dhoni finishes off in style! A magnificent strike into the crowd! India lift the World Cup after 28 years!”
Ravi Shastri’s iconic words echoed as Dhoni launched Nuwan Kulasekara’s delivery into the stands for a six, sealing India’s championship victory. The steady 91-run knock against 79 balls from Dhoni established his position as a leader in demanding situations. During Mumbai’s sky show of fireworks supporters cheered wildly behind the emotional reaction of Tendulkar as his teammates carried him during their celebratory lap. Indian cricket earned this victory beyond the trophy as it became a significant representation of India’s sports rise while Dhoni led them to achievement enabled by his audacious leadership.
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