2011 ODI World Cup — India Win at Home, Dhoni Hits the Six
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup: India's title triumph on home soil, Dhoni's match-winning six in the final, Yuvraj Singh's Player of the Tournament, Sri Lanka's heartbreaking defeat, and the tournament's iconic moments.
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup is one of the most celebrated tournaments in India's cricket history — India won the title on home soil for the first time since 1983, defeating Sri Lanka in the final at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. MS Dhoni's match-winning six off Nuwan Kulasekara, promoting himself above Yuvraj Singh to bat at No.5, became one of cricket's defining images.
India's Journey
India were the pre-tournament favourites as hosts, led by MS Dhoni, with Sachin Tendulkar (in what proved to be his last World Cup) as the emotional centrepiece. India defeated Pakistan in the semi-finals at Mohali in one of cricket's most watched matches — presidents of both nations attended. The victory set up a final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai, where 33,000 fans and a billion more watching on television witnessed India's triumph.
Dhoni's Tactical Masterstroke
India's chase of 274 was wobbling at 114/3 when Dhoni promoted himself above Yuvraj Singh to bat at No.5. The decision was criticised at the time — Yuvraj had been the form batter of the tournament. Dhoni justified the move brilliantly, scoring 91* not out from 79 balls and hitting the winning six off the last ball of the 49th over. It was a match-defining act of captaincy self-confidence.
Yuvraj Singh — Player of the Tournament
Yuvraj Singh was named Player of the Tournament despite Dhoni's final heroics — Yuvraj scored 362 runs and took 15 wickets, contributing with both bat and ball throughout. What made his achievement even more extraordinary was the revelation afterwards that he had been battling lung cancer during the tournament, having kept the diagnosis private until after India's victory.
Frequently asked questions
Who scored the most runs in the 2011 ODI World Cup?
Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka was the tournament's top run-scorer with 500 runs. Yuvraj Singh was the Player of the Tournament with 362 runs and 15 wickets combined.
Where was the 2011 World Cup final played?
The 2011 World Cup final was played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Sri Lanka scored 274/6 and India chased the target with 10 balls to spare — Dhoni hitting a six to win the match.
Who was India's captain when they won the 2011 World Cup?
MS Dhoni captained India to the 2011 World Cup title. His decision to promote himself above Yuvraj Singh in the final and score 91* not out is considered one of the great captaincy decisions in World Cup history.