Dhoni (unbeaten at 91) and Gautam Gambhir (97) produced sensational knocks as the Men in Blue chased down the respectable target of 275 runs against Sri Lanka to end country’s 28-year-long wait for World Cup glory.
On this day in 2011, wicketkeeper-batsman and the then Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni led the Men in Blue to their second ICC World Cup title with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Exactly eight years after the Dhoni-led side won the showpiece event, former Indian cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag took to their social media handles to relive the historic summit showdown in Mumbai that brought cricket-frenzy nation India to an absolute standstill.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, Tendulkar described India’s World Cup victory in 2011 as the “biggest day of his life”, while adding that he had never seen anything bigger than that in his long cricketing career.
“2nd of April, 2011. I honestly don’t know where I should start and what all should I say. It was the biggest day of my life on the cricket field. I have never seen a bigger day than that in my cricketing career. World Cup comes after every four years. Exactly eight years have been completed since we picked up the World Cup trophy. The next World Cup is coming and I know our World Cup team has not been announced as of now. But whoever goes there will be our team,” Tendulkar said in a video posted along with the tweet.
The master blaster further pointed out that the number of stars on India’s blue jersey depicts their three World Cup wins in 1983 and 2011 World Cup and 2007 World T20, while calling on the Virat Kohli-led team to turn them into four stars in this year’s mega event.
“If you have carefully seen the BCCI logo which is there on our Indian jersey, there are three stars on the top of the logo–three World Cups. Let us make these three stars into four. That is what I want to say. So, let us all support our team this World Cup,” he said.
Besides Tendulkar, his World Cup-winning opening partner Virender Sehwag asked the Indian fans how did they celebrate the country’s historic moment.
“WHAT A DAY ! World Cup 2011.8 years ago on this day, we lived a dream and the whole nation celebrated.How did you celebrate ?,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan also recalled the golden memories of India’s World Cup victory in 2011.
“April 2, 2011 – the historic night that had everyone high on emotions – a billion dreams came true. We could barely control the thrill of the win, the dressing room was filled with an incredible energy. Everyone was in happy tears! Fantastic memories of World Cup 2011,” Raina tweeted.
Pathan, on the other hand, said that the day continues to remain so vivid in their memories like it just happened while calling on Kohli and company to replicate the achievement this year.
“This day remains so vivid in our memory like it just happened. April 2, World Cup 2011 victory a historic day in every sense.2019 is the year of World Cup hope @imVkohli & Co can replicate the feat,” he wrote.
Dhoni (unbeaten at 91) and Gautam Gambhir (97) produced sensational knocks as the Men in Blue chased down the respectable target of 275 runs against Sri Lanka to end country’s 28-year-long wait for World Cup glory.
Tendulkar, on the other hand, made his last appearance at the showpiece 50-over tournament even more memorable by finishing as the second highest run-scorer in the tournament, with 482 runs to his tally.
