India 277-4 beat Sri Lanka 274-6 by six wickets to win the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 final at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
It was a sweet victory for India who has lost Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early on. But it was Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Dhoni who rebuilt the innings.
Gambhir was out for 97, but captain Dhoni’s brilliant unbeaten 91 led India to a famous win with 10 balls to spare while Sri Lanka smashed 91 from their last 10 overs to post 274-6 in Mumbai, with Mahela Jayawardene making a superb 103.
The Indian skipper, struggling for form throughout the tournament, played the innings of his life and sealed the victory with a phenomenal straight six that sailed high into the stands, providing the catalyst for euphoric celebrations in the Wankhede Stadium.
It was a very competitive match until the end, but India’s batting came through. Gambhir took a risk or two, he should have been caught, but he settled down when Dhoni came in – and Dhoni batted magnificently. They call him Mr Cool here, he never flaps and his temperament stood him in good stead. It’s a good result for 50-over cricket.
