Dhoni leads India to World Cup glory

By Jamie Alter

 

In an all-Asian World Cup final dominated by three splendid batting performances, Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni marginally outshone Mahela Jayawardene as India regained the World Cup after 28 long years.

By Jamie Alter

 

Mumbai: Apr 2, 2011

 

In an all-Asian World Cup final dominated by three splendid batting performances, Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni marginally outshone Mahela Jayawardene as India regained the World Cup after 28 long years. After the pain of 1996, the heartbreak of 2003 and the humiliation of 2007 India surged to their second title success on the back of Gambhir’s stubborn 97 and his alliance with Dhoni which shut Sri Lanka out of the contest after they had reduced the favourites to 114 for 3 chasing 275.

 

Jayawardene’s effortless unbeaten 103 had lifted Sri Lanka to a challenging total after they had been in early strife themselves, but India had their answer in Gambhir. He controlled the chase magnificently after the openers fell cheaply with a gritty innings and alongside Dhoni, who by the end of his knock cut an exhausted figure, helped guide India to a six-wicket victory.

 

Chasing 275 India were always going to need a strong start. Instead, Lasith Malinga nipped out Virender Sehwag for 0 and Sachin Tendulkar for 18. Sehwag went lbw second ball, pinged on the pads trying to play off the back foot, while Tendulkar – after one stunning straight drive – chased outside off and nicked to Sangakkara. The Wankhede was stunned.

 

Gambhir – who came into match averaging 44.78 against Sri Lanka – and Virat Kohli breathed life back into the chase with an 83-run stand. The pair sized up the situation, stole quick runs and got through some tight overs. Occasionally, Gambhir scythed gorgeous drives and cuts through the off-side to release the pressure and Kohli contributed with some good running between the wickets. While Gambhir danced down the track at will, miscuing as often as he connected, Kohli chose to time the ball crisply from his crease.

 

With wickets in hand, India were always in with a chance. In what was a critical point in the game, with India 114 for 3, Kohli chipped a return catch back to an alert Tillakaratne Dilshan. It ushered in the defining partnership of the match.

 

The 109 Gambhir and Dhoni added bailed India out of a jam and put them in charge. After a poor tournament, Dhoni too picked the biggest stage to turn up. When the seamers pitched full, he timed the ball excellently, with the highlight being his handling of Malinga. When he pitched full Dhoni drove down the ground and through cover; when Malinga banged it short, Dhoni responded very well with his shuffled shots off the hips. Gambhir continued to use his feet, and with Dhoni coming out and striking the ball sweetly from the off, India stayed on course.

 

When in striking distance of a century, Gambhir sashayed down the track and was bowled for 97. With 52 needed from 52, India had enough in the tank to get across the finish line with 10 balls remaining. Yuvraj announced his arrival with a fierce pull for four; Dhoni cut six over backward point and despite a few nervy moments between the wickets the end came rather comfortably amid a flurry of boundaries from Dhoni. The winning hit came via a monstrous six, cuing absolute pandemonium in the ground. Tendulkar, after 22 years in the game, was one of the first to run onto the ground and it was a eye-moistening moment to observe.

 

In the end Gambhir and Dhoni took the plaudits, but Jayawardene’s century earlier in the day was almost at par, as he played anchor and attacker in equal manner. He featured in stands of 62 with Kumar Sangakkara, 57 with Thilan Samaraweera and 66 with Nuwan Kulasekara and those formed the crux of Sri Lanka’s total.

 

Sri Lanka’s innings had begun mutely, with Zaheer Khan hitting a perfect length early on, keeping the ball just far enough away from the batsmen to cut out the drive and the men inside the ring threw themselves around. After 18 scoreless deliveries, the accuracy did for Upul Tharanga, who pushed forward and away from his body, for Sehwag to take a neat catch at slip.

 

The old firm of Sangakkara and Jayawardene came together when the innings had only yielded 60 from the first 14.3 overs. Sangakkara played the steadying hand, but the batsman who turned it around for Sri Lanka was Jayawardene. He got his innings going with two languid boundaries between point and where a slip could have been placed, and that was a sign of things to come. The slow pitch wasn’t conducive to driving but Jayawardene displayed expert ability in tackling these conditions, using his agile wrists to steer the ball behind the stumps.

 

The most impressive aspect of his innings was the manner in which he dismantled the slow bowlers, especially Yuvraj and Harbhajan Singh. Clever dabs, a few late cuts, some cheeky sweeps and paddles were all on view as Dhoni was left to resort to Tendulkar and Kohli as well as bowling Sreesanth four times before 34 overs were up.

 

India came back briefly through Yuvraj and Zaheer but then Kulasekara came along for a useful partnership. The duo mixed aggression with caution aptly as they penalised poor bowling with excellent shots all around the wicket, and Jayawardene surged to a century off 84 balls. When Sri Lanka looted 63 off the batting Powerplay – Zaheer leaked 54 from his last five overs, 18 off the last – it appeared Sri Lanka had done enough to challenge India. But Gambhir and Dhoni were made of sterner stuff and guided India to glory with ruthless efficiency.

 

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 274 for 6 (Mahela Jayawardene 103*, Kumar Sangakkara 48, Nuwan Kulasekara 32; Yuvraj Singh 2 for 49, Zaheer Khan 2 for 60) lost to India 277 for 4 in 48.2 overs (Gautam Gambhir 97, MS Dhoni 91*, Virat Kohli 35) by six wickets.

 

(Jamie Alter is a freelance cricket writer, having worked at ESPNcricinfo and All Sports Magazine. His first book, The History of World Cup Cricket, is out now. His twitter feed is @jamie_alter) 

 

Man of the Match: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

 

 

 Pictures © Getty Images

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