"When the crowd started to sing Vande Mataram" - MS Dhoni recalls the best feeling from the 2011 WC finals win
Legendary Indian Captain MS Dhoni was awarded a FanCraze digital collectible at a special event in Chennai on April 2. It was gifted in honor of the 12th anniversary of Dhoni's match-winning innings and his iconic six in the finals of the World Cup in 2011. The Navarasa-themed digital collectible was centered around the emotion of glory.
Earlier in the day, the ICC also revealed the brand identity of the 2023 World Cup, set to be played in India later this year.
The 2011 victory was Team India's second 50-over World Cup victory and their first since 1983. On the 12th anniversary, MS Dhoni recalled his favorite moment from that incredible evening at the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai. To most people's surprise, it was neither his match-winning six nor the trophy presentation.
Speaking to host Sanjana Ganesan and former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey, Dhoni said:
"The best feeling was 15-20 minutes (before the winning moment), And the stadium started to sing Vande Mataram. That atmosphere I feel is very difficult to recreate – maybe in this [upcoming 2023] World Cup, there is a similar scenario, once the stadium, the fans start contributing."
He continued:
“You know, it’s a very difficult (atmosphere) one to replicate. But it can only be replicated if the occasion is similar to that (in 2011) and there are like 40, 50 or 60,000 people who are singing. And at the same time, I wanted to get done with it. We knew that we will win this from here, and it was very difficult for us to lose."
It is worth remembering that, chasing a stiff target of 275, India were precariously placed at 114-3. MS Dhoni then promoted himself up the order and compiled a magnificent 91 off 79 balls to lead India to victory over Sri Lanka in the World Cup finals.
"We had the feeling that we want to do it for him" - MS Dhoni on the team trying to win the World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar
Team India's 2011 World Cup victory was made extra special as it was legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar's first World Cup win of his illustrious career. The "Little Master" had achieved everything in the game from an individual standpoint, but his dream of becoming a world champion had eluded him up until then.
MS Dhoni recalled how the team was mindful that this would be Sachin's final World Cup, creating a desire to "do it for him." Speaking to Sanjana Ganesan, Dhoni said:
“Yes, we all knew that it was paaji’s (Tendulkar) last World Cup and throughout the tournament we had the feeling that we want to do it for him. But at the same time, often you have something going in your mind where you say, God has given him everything. And God keeps one thing away from every individual. Is it that 50-over World Cup that God has decided that he will keep with himself?"
The World Cup-winning skipper continued:
“We said we will try our best, we will make sure that we are giving a 100 per cent when it comes to the cricket matches and we will accept the results. At the end, very happy to be on the winning side, but it took a lot from the full team and the support staff."
Playing in his sixth World Cup, Tendulkar was instrumental in India winning the title, scoring 482 runs at an average of 53.55 and a strike rate of 92. His half-centuries in the quarterfinals and the semifinals against Australia and Pakistan were vital in helping India achieve its ultimate goal.