World Cup 2011 Photos

World Cup Final: 10 seesaw moments

April 03, 2011 13:40

Though the triumph was huge, the ICC Cricket World Cup win was by no means a comfortable one for India. Sri Lanka had their moments, but in the end India ousted their South-Asian rivals to regain cricket's most coveted trophy after a 27 year wait.

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Though the triumph was huge, the World Cup win was by no means a comfortable one for India. Sri Lanka had their moments, but in the end India ousted their South-Asian rivals to regain cricket's most coveted trophy after a 27 year wait.
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Reliable openers' early departure:

Sri Lanka openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan had been the most successful pair throughout the tournament with two partnerships over 200 runs scoring over 800 runs.
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Confident Yuvraj breaks through:

After a dismal first four overs conceded 26 runs, Yuvraj Singh's perseverance paid off when he picked up the all important wicket of Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara.

Thilan Samaraweera who seemed to have finally got his touch back at the ultimate stage was given not out on a huge shout but Yuvraj's confidence forced Dhoni to call for a review which ultimately paid off.
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Jayawardena's one man show:

At a stage where batsmen were struggling to find their groove, Mahela Jayawardena came out with a clear picture of the situation. Starting at a run-a-ball, Jayawardena accelerated at the end to put Sri Lanka in the driving seat with 274 runs on the board. (Getty Images)
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Malinga; India's menace:

Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were amongst the leading scorers in the tournament, but Lasith Malinga's slingers proved too good for them as both departed in quick succession.
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Youth and maturity:

Entering the middle after the departure of the most experienced batsmen of the side was a true test of nerves for the two, but a stern 83-run partnership put India's chase back on track. (AFP Photo)
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Gambhir got himself counted:

After throwing his wicket away in the last two matches, Gautam Gambhir was adamant on making his innings count. A well paced innings characterised by some excellent running between the wickets once again made India the favourites. (AFP Photo)
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Desperate measures:

With the two firm at the crease, Kumar Sangakkara looked to the most unlikely resources to make inroads into the batting line-up. His expectations were fulfilled by Tillakaratne Dilshan, who brilliantly caught Virat Kohli off his own bowling to expose the Indian middle order. (Getty Images)
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Poor fielding:

The usually upbeat Sri Lankan fielding looked rather off-coloured at the World Cup final. Several misfields eased the pressure on the Indians but the most hurtful moment was the missed the chance of Gautam Gambhir by Nuwan Kulasekara.
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Cometh the hour cometh the man:

Keeping the situation in mind, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni promoted himself up the order. Knowing that history was well and truly awaiting him, he truly played a captain's knock to steer the Indian ship home. (AFP Photo)
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A composed finish:

Even though the target was well in sight for the Indian batsmen, a couple of nervy moments could have put the Indian team in disarray, but the calmness brought to the crease by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni payed off as India won their second World cup after a 28-year wait. (AFP Photo)

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