India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 Final: Men in Blue Become World Champions

If MS Dhoni had to make-do with a nascent group of players to lift the 2007 World T20 title, the enigmatic skipper had almost assembled a world-class team ahead of the 2011 World Cup.

A young Virat Kohli was drafted into the middle order while the likes of Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina had overcome their career’s early jitters and were ready to make a concrete impact on the big stage. Veterans like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan also provided the necessary cushion for the upcoming generation to express themselves.

With the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings reaching two finals of the India Premier League in the first three seasons and winning one of them, his perception of being a great captain was further cemented among players and fans alike. Hence, India was approaching the 2011 ODI World Cup as a very settled side with a clear objective. The Men in Blue’s dominance on home soil was further evident by their comprehensive wins against Australia and New Zealand in the ODI series preceding the World Cup.

India’s biggest competitor in the subcontinent was Sri Lanka. Led by Kumar Sangakkara, the Lankans had already overcome India in a recently concluded triangular series in their backyard and boasted of a perfectly balanced side that could take on anyone in familiar conditions.

There was very little to separate the two teams at the World Cup as well. Approaching the final, both India and Sri Lanka would lose only one match throughout the campaign before India eventually edged past their neighbours at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

While Sri Lanka’s only loss came against Pakistan in their second group-stage match, an in-form India was shocked by South Africa in the group stages. Both the teams would, however, get back on the horse quickly with India defeating Pakistan and Australia to reach the final and Sri Lanka overcoming England and New Zealand to set a classic finale.

The Indian team had as many as five players who had played in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia. Needless to say, they were looking to complete the circle that had started eight years back ay Johannesburg. Standing at the forefront was Zaheer Khan, who gave India a dream start in the grand finale. The left-arm pacer started with three consecutive maiden overs, removing Upul Tharanga in the process to reduce Sri Lanka to 17/1.  

Knowing the conditions well, Dhoni used as many as four spinners - Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and even Virat Kohli - to great effect as they clinched three scalps while checking the runs despite Sangakkara and Jaywardene’s big knocks. This was a trick Sangakkara missed as Sri Lanka was left to rue their bowling display with Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath both excluded from the squad despite their fine display against England and New Zealand.

The Sri Lanka team’s slower run rate was a concern with Jayawardene (103 off 88 balls) being the only one amongst the top and middle-order to score with a strike rate of over 100. He needed support from the lower order to provide a late boost and all-rounders Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera’s joint 54-run tally did exactly that. Sri Lanka set up a 275-run target, which wasn’t easily chaseable.