Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai: India's 2011 World Cup Final and the Most Emotionally Significant Ground in Indian Cricket
Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai (capacity 33,108) is the home of Mumbai's first-class cricket and the venue for some of Indian cricket's most emotional moments. It hosted the 2011 World Cup final — India beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets, with MS Dhoni scoring 91* off 79 balls to clinch the title. Sachin Tendulkar played his final two Tests there in November 2013. The ground is named after Sheshrao Wankhede, a former BCCI president, and is distinctive for its sea-facing pavilion on the western side.
Wankhede Stadium in south Mumbai's Churchgate area is one of India's most iconic cricket venues. Its capacity of 33,108 makes it smaller than Eden Gardens (66,000) or the Narendra Modi Stadium (132,000), but its history and significance in Indian cricket is unmatched. It faces the Arabian Sea from its western grandstand.
The 2011 World Cup Final
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final was played at Wankhede on 2 April 2011. Sri Lanka scored 274/6, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring 103* — the only WC final century by a player on the losing side. India's chase faltered early — Virender Sehwag (0) and Sachin Tendulkar (18) were dismissed cheaply. Gautam Gambhir (97) and MS Dhoni (91*) steered India home. Dhoni promoted himself above Yuvraj Singh (who was the tournament's leading scorer) and hit the winning six over long-on off Nuwan Kulasekara. India won by 6 wickets with 10 balls to spare.
Tendulkar's Final Test
Sachin Tendulkar played his 199th and 200th Tests at Wankhede in November 2013 against the West Indies. He scored 74 in his final innings. After India won the match, Tendulkar gave a speech to the full stadium that moved the entire cricket world: 'Cricket has given me everything in life. I have lived a dream life.' He was 40 years old and had played for India since 1989. The Wankhede speech is played on the ground's public address system on significant cricket occasions.
Frequently asked questions
Why did MS Dhoni choose to promote himself above the in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 World Cup final, and what does the decision reveal about his captaincy philosophy?
Dhoni's batting order decision in the 2011 WC final: analysis. The context: Yuvraj Singh was India's leading scorer in the 2011 World Cup (362 runs at 90.50, 4 wickets, Player of the Tournament) and was clearly the team's best-performing batter throughout the tournament. When Virat Kohli was dismissed at 114/3 in the 16th over, Dhoni promoted himself to No. 5, ahead of the in-form Yuvraj (who came in at No. 6). The stated reason (in Dhoni's post-match interviews): Sri Lanka's bowling attack included three left-arm spinners (Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv, Dilhara Fernandez). Dhoni felt he was better equipped to play left-arm spin than Yuvraj, who sometimes struggled against left-arm slow bowling. 'Murali-sutta' (Muralitharan's doosra): Muralitharan was not playing (retired), but Dhoni's decision reflected careful thinking about the bowling matchups. Statistical support: Yuvraj's average against left-arm spin in ODIs in 2010–11 was approximately 28 (lower than his overall 36). Dhoni's average against left-arm spin was approximately 45. The result: Dhoni scored 91* and hit the winning six. The captaincy philosophy: Dhoni's defining trait as captain was data-driven matchup thinking — he would make unconventional decisions (batting order changes, bowling order changes) based on tactical matchup analysis rather than conventional wisdom. The 2011 final promotion is considered his single most consequential tactical decision and vindicated his willingness to override intuitive selection.