Published 15:52 IST, June 15th 2020
Sourav Ganguly recalls MS Dhoni's famous match-winning six in the 2011 World Cup final
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly recalled Mahendra Singh Dhoni's match-winning six in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium
Sourav Ganguly recalled India's historic 2011 World Cup win and the six that was hit by the then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to finish things off in style. The Men In Blue won their second World Cup trophy after a long wait of 28 years. By the virtue of this win, India also became the first team to win the coveted trophy on home soil.
'What a moment!': Sourav Ganguly
During an online video lecture, Ganguly went on to say that for him the biggest day was when India won the World Cup in 2011 and the great MS Dhoni's shot, that six off the last ball will remain in Indian cricket history forever and what a moment it was. Recalling that particular day, Dada mentioned that he was at the Wankhede Stadium that night and had come down from the commentary box to watch Dhoni and the team go around the ground.
The former skipper then added the team that he had led during the 2003 edition in South Africa where they had lost the final to the then mighty Australia who were also the defending champions was happy to see Dhoni have the opportunity to win that coveted trophy.
The 2011 World Cup final
Sri Lanka who were playing in their second straight World Cup final had posted a stiff total of 274/6 in their 50 overs. In reply, India got off to a horrendous start after big-hitter Virender Sehwag was dismissed for a second-ball duck by Lasith Malinga. The Men In Blue were in a spot of bother after Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal as the scorecard read 31/2. Gambhir then took the charge of scoring runs and was ably supported by a young Virat Kohli (35) as the duo added 83 runs for the third wicket stand.
After Kohli's dismissal, in a rather surprising move, MS Dhoni came out at number four ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh. The two were then involved in a 109-run fourth-wicket stand. Gautam Gambhir was castled by Thisara Perera for a 122-ball 97. However, it did not matter as the match was in India's grasp by then and MS Dhoni finished it in style by dispatching Nuwan Kulasekara into the stands as India won their second World Cup after a long wait of 28 years.
Updated 15:52 IST, June 15th 2020