ICC World Cup 2019
Part 30 - 2011 World Cup Best ever finish in cricket history
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After 1999 world cup Australia's dominance in world cricket was greater than West Indies dominance in 1970's. Not only in normal cricket they won three consecutive world cup from 1999 to 2007. More over they became unbeatable in 2003 and 2007 world cup. Its simply like other teams gonna fight for finals against Australia. But time will change everything right. That moment came in 2011 world cup. Pakistan put an end to their continuous win in 2011 world cup at group stage. Where India put an end to their consecutive world cup title. The team under MS Dhoni presented a defeat to Australia in knock out stage after 15 years at quarter finals. This was the last world cup played by Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar and Australian legend Ricky Ponting.
After 15 years India hosts the tournament along with Bangladesh and Srilanka. Fourteen teams only participated in the 2011 world cup. They were divided equally into two groups A and . Each group contains 7 teams and has to play with remaining 6 teams. After a long gap in world cups Quarter finals back in the tournament. Top four from each group will play at quarter finals. So its a knock out game after Group stage. From this tournament only Bangladesh became stronger like other teams and erased the name of minnows from cricket history.
Participated Countries:
Group A:
Australia, Sri lanka, Pakistan, Canada, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and Kenya
Group B:
India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Netherland, Bangladesh and Ireland
Till 2011 world cup hosts team never won world cup at their home. Sri lanka alone lift trophy while hosting at 1996. Even that also they played finals at Lahore, Pakistan. Men in Blue army broke that record and became champions of 2011 at their home Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
League Round:
From Group A, Pakistan won 5 matches and became top the table with 10 points. They lost only one match that too against New Zealand. Srilanka, Australia and New Zealand won 4 matches each. A match between Sri lanka and Australia was ruined by rain and each team shared 1 point each. Which makes them a head of New Zealand. But based on runrate Sri lanka clich second spot. Australia took 3rd place and New Zealand at fourth. Zimbabwe won two matches only against the associate teams Kenya and Canada. While Canada beat Kenya and registered their first even win at world cups.
From Group B, South Africa finished as top with 5 wins and a lose against England. India finished as second with 4 wins, 1 lose against South Africa and a tie match against England. In the opening match of this tournament, India faced Bangladesh at their home. India scored 370 runs with the help of centuries from Sehwagh (175 runs) and Kohli (100* runs). They beat Bangladesh by 87 runs and took revenge for the lose against the same Bangladesh at 2007 world cup. England and West Indies took 3rd and 4th spot with 3 wins each. But England came 3rd because of a tie against India. In that match India bat first and set a target as 339 runs with the help of Sachin's century (120 runs). England also scored exactly 338 runs and the match went tie. Andrew Strauss played his life time ODI match by scoring 158 runs. Both teams get 1 points each. Yuvraj Singh scored 50 runs and took 5wickets for India in two matches. Sachin scored one more century against South Africa. Bangladesh and Ireland came as 5th and 6th. Netherland left the tournament without any win.
England beat the strongest South Africa and tie match against India. Still they won only 3 matches. You know how?????? They lost against two teams Bangladesh and Ireland. Once again England struggled while playing against small teams. Last season Ireland gave shock to Pakistan. But this season they gave a big shock to England by chasing a himalayan target of 328 runs.Once Ireland were 111 for 5 at 24.4 overs. Later Kevin Obrien played his lifetime knock of 113runs from 63 balls with 13 boundaries and 6 sixes helped Ireland to beat England.
Quarter Finals:
Second round became Quarter Finals and every match is a knockout game hereafter. In first match Group A top Pakistan faced Group B bottom West Indies. West Indies players are individually dangerous but when coming as a team they are so easy to beat. The same thing Pakistan did and beat West Indies by 10 wickets. No other player except Chanderpaul, trying to build the innings which results in collapse of batting and West Indies went all out for 112 runs. Afridi shined as an all rounder and took 4 wickets. Pakistan chased the small target without any loss and enter as 1st semi finalist.
2nd Quarter finals is the crucial game for both India and Australia. The Four time world champions looking forward the title one more time. They never lost a match in world cup knock out stage after 1996. On the other side India trying to lift world cup at their home after 1983. Moreover Indians want to take revenge for defeat at 2003 world cup finals. But its not so easy like as thought. Australia bat first and scored 260 runs with Ponting's century 104 runs. MS Dhoni did a new move in this match by giving first over to off spinner R Ashwin. It worked well and Watson departed early. India started the chase Sachin and Gambhir scored half century but still team struggling to chase the runs. MSD made one more master move in this match. He added the key player Suresh Raina in the squad for Yusuf Pathan. That strategy helped well. Yuvarj and Raina fought till last. Once India need much runs to win. But Raina's confident six lights a fire inside Yuvraj and helped to finish the match. The defending champions left home in quarter finals itself and its time for new champions after 1996.
In 3rd quarter finals, New Zealand faces the strong South Africans. But everything changed during the match. Everyone knows about South Africans weakness at knock out stage. New Zealand used it well and restricted South Africa for 172 runs from chasing the target of 222 runs. Nathan Mccullum and Jacob Oram took 3 and 4 wickets respectively and once again thrashed the dream of South Africa in world cups.
Last quarter finals between Sri lanka and England went one sided. England scored only 229 runs at the end of 50 overs. Sri lankan openers Dilshan and Tharanga chased the target runs at 40th over itself that too without losing a wicket. Both Sri lankan openers scored century in this match. Dilshan (108 runs) and Tharanga (102 runs). England world cup dream didnt became true in this tournament also.
Semi Finals:
Sri lanka faced New Zealand at the first semi final at their home Colombo. Match at home became an added advantage to Lankans. Ther restricted New Zealand players to 217 runs at 49th over. Scott Styris alone scored half century in this match. Even Sri lanka struggled a bit against New Zealand but Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan's half century takes Sri lanka for the second consecutive world cup finals.
A normal match itself between India and Pakistan looks like a world cup. What happen if they play against each other at world cups that too in semi finals. Yes it happened in 2011 world cup semi finals. India have strong winning record against Pakistan in world cup. They have never lost a single match in world cup against their rivals. In this tournament also they retain their record. India batted first and scored 260 runs at the end. Sachin scored one more half century with 85 runs. Sehwagh 38runs supported Sachin at top overs. But Suresh Raina's one more key knock of 36 runs not out helped India to cross 250 runs at end. Wahab Riaz took 5wickets in this match. Paksitan went all out for 231 runs at the end. everyone contributed a small score but Misbah scored half century and tried to rewrite the history. Five Indian bowlers bowled on that day and everyone took 2 wickets which became the perfect example for team effort.
Finals:
2011 world cup final at Wankhede, Mumbai. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar's home town. The man played for India for more than 20 years and 6 world cups. But world cup is unreachable for him. But everything happened on that day. Sri lanka decided to bat first after the toss. Mahela Jayawardena played one more final century in this match. Kumar Sangakkar supported him with 48 runs. Nuwan Kulasekara scored a quick fire of 32 runs at death over. Because of these three Sri lanka scored 274 runs and set target as 275 runs for India which is a big target in world cup finals. India started the chase hitter Sehwagh went for duck at first over itself. Sachin played in his last world cup match and gone for 18 runs at 7th over. Complete silence at the stadium, current runmachine Kohli was too young at that time. He joined hand together with Gambhir and trying to support him for chase. But Virat gone for 35 runs by Dilshan trap. Unexpectedly skipper MS Dhoni came to bat ahead of inform Yuvraj Singh. Dhoni didnt score any valuable knock in this tournament till this match. But he played by understanding the situation. The pair keep of rotating strike and reaching the target. As a twist Gambhir lost his stumps to Thisara Perera when he was 97 runs. Yuvarj came to bat. Now its upto MSD to finish the game. Kulasekara bowled the 49th over. MSD smashed a six a long at 2nd ball and finish the match with a wonderful knock. Dhoni remains not out with 91 runs.
Still every Indian fans remember the winning shot commentary from Ravi Shasthri " Dhoni finishes off in his style, a magnificent strike towards the crowd, India lift the world cup after 28 years and the party starts in dressing room". This world cup became the best ever finish with a six from winning captain and a best every last ball commentary too.
Most Runs: Thilakartene Dilshan (Sl) with 500 runs
Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) with 482 runs
Most Wickets: Zaheer Khan (Ind) and Shahid Afridi (Pak) with 21wickets
Yuvraj was declared as man of the tournament with his all round performance. He scored 369 runs and took 15 wickets. Two times he scored fifty and 5 wicket haul in a same match. He also scored one century against West Indies, even he was suffering from cancer. Finally India dedicated this world cup to their legend Sachin, everyone lift him on their shoulder and take a round over the entire Wankhede stadium. Such a well deserved send off for Little Master in world cups.
Interesting Moments:
1. Sachin Sixth Century
In 2011 world cup alone Sachin Tendulkar scored 2 centuries against England and South Africa. With this 2 centuries he has score six centuries from 6 world cups from 1992 to 2011. This is the maximum centuries scored by a player in world cups till today. He is also the highest run scorer in world cups till today.
2. Fight with Cancer
Yuvraj singh played 2003 world cup as youngster and 2011 world cup as senior player. Before the world cup yuvi was suffered with cancer. He played with it only. Nothing happened to him till the match against West Indies. In the last group match against West Indies, a vomited blood due to this, still he scored a century in this match and helped India to finish at second place from Group B.
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