ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: India Win at Wankhede — Gambhir 97, Dhoni's Winning Six
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final was played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 2 April 2011 between India and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka batted first and scored 274/6 in 50 overs, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring 103 not out. India, chasing 275, lost Sachin Tendulkar (18) and Virender Sehwag (0) early before Gautam Gambhir (97) and MS Dhoni (91 not out) added 109 for the fourth wicket. Dhoni hit Nuwan Kulasekara over long-on for six to win the match with 10 balls remaining. India won by 6 wickets. It was India's second World Cup title, 28 years after their first in 1983. The image of Dhoni's winning six is one of cricket's most iconic photographs.
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final was played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 2 April 2011. India faced Sri Lanka in their home final — the first time a World Cup had been hosted entirely in the subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh). The match produced one of the most celebrated moments in Indian cricket history and closed the tournament in which 28-year-old Sachin Tendulkar played his final World Cup.
Sri Lanka's 274/6: Jayawardene 103 Not Out
Sri Lanka, captained by Kumar Sangakkara, batted first and built a challenging total. Mahela Jayawardene was outstanding — scoring 103 not out from 88 balls, including boundaries off all of India's main bowlers. His innings was particularly significant as it came in a high-pressure final against a partisan home crowd of 42,000 at Wankhede Stadium. Tillakaratne Dilshan (33) and Jayawardene's partnership provided the platform. Sri Lanka closed at 274/6 — the highest total ever defended successfully in a World Cup final at that point.
The Chase: Sehwag and Tendulkar Fall Early
India's chase began badly. Virender Sehwag was dismissed for 0 in the first over, bowled by Lasith Malinga. Sachin Tendulkar followed for 18, caught by substitute fielder off Malinga. India were 31/2 after 6 overs. The crowd at Wankhede went quiet. The team brought together Virat Kohli (35) and Gautam Gambhir to rebuild. Kohli and Gambhir added 83 for the third wicket. Kohli was dismissed for 35, and MS Dhoni came to the crease — famously sending himself up the batting order ahead of Yuvraj Singh, who had been the tournament's outstanding performer. Dhoni's decision to promote himself was controversial in the moment but proved decisive.
Gambhir 97 and Dhoni's Winning Six
Gambhir and Dhoni added 109 for the fourth wicket, steadily reducing the required run rate. Gambhir was dismissed for 97, agonisingly short of his century with just 4 required. Yuvraj Singh came in at 6 and hit the winning boundary — or rather, Dhoni finished the game. Off the last ball Dhoni faced from Kulasekara, needing 4 to win, Dhoni hit a six over long-on. India reached 277/4 from 48.2 overs — winning by 6 wickets with 10 balls remaining. Dhoni finished 91 not out from 79 balls. The crowd erupted. Sachin Tendulkar was carried on the shoulders of teammates around the ground — the moment that generated the phrase 'India carried Sachin's dream for 28 years; today we carry him.' India had won their second World Cup title, 28 years after Kapil Dev's team had beaten the West Indies at Lord's in 1983.
Frequently asked questions
Why did MS Dhoni promote himself above Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 World Cup final, and what does the decision reveal about captaincy strategy and tactical decision-making in high-pressure run chases?
MS Dhoni's decision to send himself in at number 5 ahead of Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 final, when India were 114/3 chasing 275, is one of the most analytically discussed tactical decisions in World Cup history. The facts: Yuvraj Singh had been India's outstanding batsman of the tournament (362 runs, 15 wickets across 9 games) and was the natural middle-order anchor. Dhoni coming at number 5 was a departure from the expected batting order. The analytical reasoning (as explained by Dhoni after the match): first, Sri Lanka's remaining bowling attack included both left-arm (Murali, Suraj Randiv) and right-arm options. Dhoni, a right-handed aggressive batsman, was better suited matchup-wise against Murali's off-spin than Yuvraj, who as a left-hander would have faced deliveries turning away from him. Second, Dhoni had a higher T20-style strike rate in the back 20 overs than Yuvraj did in that phase (the data shows Dhoni averaging a strike rate of approximately 85-90 in overs 30-50 of ODIs in 2011, while Yuvraj was approximately 75-80 in the same phase). Third, captain self-selection in high-pressure chases is psychologically significant — Dhoni taking personal responsibility for the outcome, rather than delegating to another batsman, set a tone. The decision in context: it worked, which creates the survivorship bias risk — had India lost with Dhoni on 0 and Yuvraj unused, it would likely have been called the tournament's worst tactical decision. The analytical principle it reveals: captaincy match-up thinking in run chases is about surface type, bowling match-ups, and projected phase performance — not simply batting-order convention. Dhoni had done similar promotions in previous chases; the 2011 final was the highest-profile example. The fourth-wicket partnership (Gambhir 97, Dhoni 91*) that delivered the trophy vindicated a decision made on strategic logic rather than reputation.