On April 2, 2011, India lifted the 50-over World Cup for the second time. The triumph inspired millions to take up the sport and started the era of India's domination in almost all formats of the game.
It was evident that 2011 would be the last world cup of legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, which is why Indian fans were even more desperate for a world cup victory.
However, India did not get off to a very good start in the tournament against the tough teams. After a tied game against England and defeat against Graeme Smith's South Africa, the road ahead looked much more difficult. Despite early setbacks, India delivered stunning performances in crunch games to make their way into the knockouts.
A win against the defending champions Australia in the quarter-finals and then against arch-rivals Pakistan in the semis, India made their way into the finals of the tournament.
Dhoni and co. were under extreme pressure in the finals. Sri Lankans were able to put 274 on the board which was a very competitive total in the high pressure encounter. In reply India lost the legendary Sachin-Sehwag duo early on in the innings.
The ever-reliable Gautam Gambhir stepped up to the task and played a pivotal role in guiding India out of the pressure situation. His 97 in the finals prevented the possibility of a batting collapse and rest was handled by MS Dhoni who played some iconic shots to bring the trophy home after a gap of 28 years.
It has been 10 years since the 'Men in Blue' brought the world cup home but MSD's last six and Ravi Shastri's iconic commentary is still fresh in our memories.
