Bengaluru, April 2: April 2, 2011 is a red-letter day in Indian cricket history as MS Dhoni and his Men in Blue ended a 28-year-old long wait to bring back the World Cup home.
India, under the legendary Kapil Dev, had lifted their maiden ICC 50-over World Cup crown at Lord's in 1983, when they beat the mighty West Indies led by Clive Lloyd by 43 runs.
But since then it had been a long wait, before Dhoni ended it in style with that six for the ages at the grandiose theatre of dreams in Mumbai.
2011 WORLD CUP FINAL SCORECARD
Ten years down the line, the euphoria still remains, though Gautam Gambhir, who was one of the main architects of Indian victory at the Wankehede Stadium, believes it is time to move on.
"It doesn't feel like yesterday. Not for me at least. It's been what, 10 years now? I'm not a person who looks back too much. Obviously, it's a proud moment but you know what, it's time for Indian cricket to move forward. Probably, now it's time that we win the next World Cup ASAP," Gambhir was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.
10th Anniversary of World Cup: Didn't do anyone favours, time to move beyond 2011, says Gautam GambhirThere were many heroes in India's epochal triumph with Yuvraj Singh, who was adjudged the player of the tournament, standing tall.
The Punjab all-rounder defied the odds as it was revealed later that he was battling a life-threatening cancer during the course of the tournament.
Today 10 years ago, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai...
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 2, 2021
Virat Kohli beautifully summed up the occasion “Sachin Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years; it was time we carried him. Chak de India!” 🇮🇳#WorldCup2011 pic.twitter.com/mRytOd3TlI
India tamed Pakistan in a high-voltage semifinal at Mohali to set up the final with the Kumar Sangakkara-led Sri Lanka at the Wankehde.
The visitors posted a respectable 274 for six, thanks to Mahela Jayawardene's unbeaten century and a late cameo from Nuwan Kulasekhara.
In the run chase, the hosts were initially in some trouble, before Dhoni promoted himself ahead of the in-form Yuvraj to stitch together a match-winning 109-run partnership with Gambhir for the fourth wicket as India romped home by six wickets.
In a befitting end to the tournament, which began with Virender Sehwag scoring a boundary off the first ball, Dhoni hit the winning six off Kulasekara into the long-on stand as Yuvraj witnessed it from best seat in the world -- the non-striker's end.
Gambhir's priceless 97 set the tempo of the innings, while Dhoni, justified his 'finisher' tag with an unbeaten 91 as the magical night ended in Mumbai, though the memories still remain magical.