World Cup nostalgia: A 28-year-long dream fulfilled as Dhoni, Gambhir give India WC glory
Team India finished the story on April 2, 2011 under MS Dhoni when they lifted the World Cup trophy after 28 years.
“Dhoni finishes off in style!” Ravi Shastri’s booming voice, full of feeling and passion and emotion and delight, proclaimed the end of India’s long wait for a second World Cup crown, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s nonchalant dismissal of Nuwan Kulasekara over long-on the final act in a roller-coaster journey that held a nation it its thrall for a month and a half.
In 1983, India were expected to merely make up the numbers. Ripping the prediction-book to shreds, Kapil Dev’s band of warriors scythed through the draw to create history. By 2011, things had changed to the extent that a title triumph was non-negotiable. It didn’t matter that no team had won the World Cup previously at home. It counted for little that India hadn’t had a great run in the lead-up to the tournament, their last outing a 2-3 loss in South Africa. They had to win, simple as that.
India’s campaign wasn’t perfect. After a roaring start in Mirpur against Bangladesh, they stuttered and stumbled but managed to stay afloat. A shattering defeat to South Africa in Nagpur, when they lost nine for 29 from 267 for one, came as a rude wake-up call and India regathered focus, breezing past West Indies, Australia (quarters) and Pakistan (semis) to storm into the April 2 final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Standing between them and a second World Cup crown were Sri Lanka, surprise finalists who had capitalised on playing most of their matches at home. But before the final, they suffered a huge setback with influential and in-form all-rounder Angelo Mathews ruled out through injury, which meant to plug that one hole, they had to make multiple changes.
After drama at the toss, which happened twice, India called the shots early on through an inspired Zaheer Khan, who had been excellent throughout the tournament. Three maidens in his five-over first spell and the wicket of Upul Tharanga sent India on their way, and with a packed crowd driving them along, India surged into the ascendancy. Every time Sri Lanka threatened, India filched a wicket; at 182 for five going into the last ten overs, the scales were firmly tilted their way.
Mahela Jayawardene fought back with a remarkable century, going from 50 to 100 in just 35 deliveries. A classicist if ever there was one, the former skipper blazed 13 fours, eking out stands of 66 and 26 (12 balls) with Kulasekara and Thisara Perera respectively to haul his team to a competitive 274 for six.
India lost Virender Sehwag in the first over and Lasith Malinga silenced the crowd by accounting for his Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar in the latter’s World Cup swansong, but Delhi lads Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli steadied the ship with a stand of 83. Gambhir was as stunned as anyone else when, on Kohli’s dismissal, it was Dhoni and not Yuvraj Singh, who was having a dream tournament, who strode out. Dhoni’s decision was based on his effectiveness in blunting the Muttiah Muralitharan threat, though it was a huge gamble, considering that his previous highest in the World Cup had been 34.
It was a calculated risk, but Dhoni ensured it transformed into a masterstroke. Without manufacturing a stroke and yet scoring rapidly, he dismantled Sri Lanka, forcing them out of their comfort zone. His assaults on Malinga and Murali were breathtaking, Gambhir watching open mouthed from the best seat in the ground as their association of 109 took India to the doorstep of victory.
When Gambhir threw away a hundred, Yuvraj walked out to a thunderous ovation. This had been his World Cup, and it was in the fitness of things that he should be there, out in the middle at the very end. Yuvraj played a few handsome strokes of his own, but it was Dhoni who went into overdrive, shifting gears effortlessly as the finish line loomed tantalizingly close.
Long before the final denouement, the result was a formality. As Mumbai, and the rest of the country, readied for a party that didn’t end, Dhoni applied the finishing touches with that monster hit over long-on, sending a nation into paroxysms of ecstasy. The Promised Land had been reached, in style.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 274 for six in 50 overs (Tillakaratne Dilshan 33, Kumar Sangakkara 48, Mahela Jayawardene 103 not out, Nuwan Kulasekara 32; Zaheer Khan 2-60, Yuvraj Singh 2-49) lost to India 277 for four in 48.2 overs (Gautam Gambhir 97, Virat Kohli 35, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 91 not out; Lasith Malinga 2-42) by six wickets. Player of the Match: Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
