Virat Kohli reveals motivation for giving Sachin Tendulkar 'lap of honour' after 2011 WC

Sachin Tendulkar’s lap of honour after the final of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium given to him by his teammates is not only one of the most iconic moments in Indian cricket but in the entire history of the sport. Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘lap of honour’ was so special that it was voted the Laureus best sporting moment in the last 20 years. Now, Indian captain, Virat Kohli has spoken about the unforgettable moment, revealing the motivation behind the team’s actions.

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The entire team had lifted Sachin Tendulkar after India won the final

While MS Dhoni’s winning six is fondly remembered by many when it comes to reminiscing the 2011 World Cup final, an equally memorable visual is that of Sachin Tendulkar being taken around his home ground on the shoulders of his teammates. The player had spoken about what the moment meant to him when it won the best sporting moment award. Sachin Tendulkar admitted that the moment will always stay with him and is an example of how powerful sport can be for the people.

‘This was Sachin Tendulkar’s last chance to win World Cup’: Virat Kohli

Now, Indian captain, Virat Kohli has talked about the ‘lap of honour’ as well. Speaking to Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli shared that while his initial feeling of winning the World Cup was that of joy and gratitude, everyone’s feelings were eventually centred around Sachin Tendulkar. The RCB captain explained that since the 2011 World Cup was Tendulkar’s last chance to win the tournament, the victory was even sweeter as it was the culmination of all the runs he had scored for the country over the years.

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Virat Kohli himself played an integral role in the post-match celebrations as he uttered the special line of “He [Tendulkar] has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It is time we carried him on our shoulders” while talking about the ‘lap of honour’ that Sachin Tendulkar was given by his teammates. Speaking about what led to the moment, Virat Kohli conceded that it was a gift to the iconic player from all those people whom Tendulkar had continued to inspire and motivate throughout his career.

Talking about the moment, Virat Kohli said that the ‘lap of honour’ given to Sachin Tendulkar at a time when all his hard work throughout the years got fulfilled, which was a feeling each player in the team felt. While concluding, Virat Kohli mentioned that the lap of honour was something that they felt was the ideal thing for them to do for Sachin Tendulkar as he had won the trophy at his home ground and that is what prompted them to do it.

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In addition to several post-match special moments, the match in itself was a great watch. MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir led the chase, with MS Dhoni finishing the game off in the best way possible. Yuvraj Singh was regarded as the Player of the Tournament for his all-round performance.

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Image Courtesy: PTI