4 min readApr 2, 2026 10:38 AM IST
Fifteen years ago on this day, India lifted the ICC ODI World Cup in 2011 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, ending a 28-year wait for the title. The victory marked the country’s first World Cup triumph since 1983 in a night that would go on to shape Indian cricket for the next decade and a half.
The 10th World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka was the first time these two sides had met at this stage of the tournament. India won by six wickets, becoming only the third team to have won the World Cup more than once. Before the final, India and Sri Lanka had faced each other seven times in World Cup history, with Sri Lanka leading the head-to-head record with four wins, two defeats, and one no-result. It was also the first time that two Asian teams had contested a World Cup final.
After Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, Zaheer Khan opened his account with three consecutive maidens and the scalp of Upul Tharanga, finishing a spell of 5-3-6-1. The visitors had gathered 63 runs in the Powerplay. Mahela Jayawardene turned out to be the star performer for Sri Lanka, scoring 103 runs off 88 balls and sharing a 66-run partnership with Thisara Perera as Sri Lanka posted 274 for 6.
Handed the highest total ever chased in a World Cup final, India gradually found momentum after the early dismissals of openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.
The first ball always makes your heart race… and that night, it never stopped.
15 years later, it still stays with us. We all grew up as a bunch of young cricketers, united by one dream. To win the World Cup for India.
To everyone who was a part of the journey, and to all the… pic.twitter.com/rW141yJraF
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 2, 2026
After Tendulkar departed for 18, the now-India captain Virat Kohli walked in and scored 35 runs in the final. Gautam Gambhir then brought the momentum back with a crucial knock of 97 runs.
Promoting himself to No. 5, MS Dhoni came into the final on the back of poor form and with India’s chase off to a shaky start. The wicketkeeper-batsman played a sensational innings, scoring 91 runs off 79 balls. Dhoni was named Man of the Match and sealed the World Cup with a towering six. He combined with Gambhir for a 101-run partnership.
The BCCI awarded each member of the World Cup-winning squad a cash prize of Rs 1 crore, while coach Gary Kirsten and his support staff received Rs 50 lakh each. The selectors were given Rs 25 lakh each.
Dhoni finishes off in style!
He has retired from international cricket 16 years after making his debut 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/1e5ymqhd4O
— ICC (@ICC) August 15, 2020
The tournament was co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. It was the third time the World Cup had been played in the Indian subcontinent. Fourteen teams, including four associate nations, were vying for the trophy.
Since that famous night in Mumbai, Indian cricket has only grown in stature. The women’s team lifted the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025, while the men’s side added two T20 World Cup titles to their cabinet in 2024 and 2026. The Men in Blue were also triumphant at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Yet for many fans, the 2011 final remains the one that started it all, the night MS Dhoni’s six brought a nation to its feet with iconic words from Ravi Shastri from the commentary box: “Dhoni finishes off in style. India lifts the World Cup after 28 years. The party starts in the dressing room.”
