Although India’s World Cup victory in 2011 was nearly a decade ago, there were a few memorable moments that every Indian will never forget. 

Time can pass, but not memories; people may come and go, but not history. Rewind to the ICC Men’s World Cup of 2011, the extraordinary period that allowed all Indian citizens to get to their feet and kneel down. On April 2, 2011, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Men in Blue defeated the Sri Lankan Lions and earned the hearts of millions of fans.  

MSD, Gambhir, and Sachin Tendulkar

From Gautam Gambhir’s spectacular smash to MS Dhoni’s magnificent six and 91-run innings in the final, that day will go down in history as a magical one. The memories endure eternally as time fades. Sachin Tendulkar produced yet another incredible performance, turning his final World Cup into a memorable occasion for the entire Indian team and himself. The God finished the winning campaign with 482 runs.

Yuvraj Singh

It is truly a win when someone suffering from cancer for their entire life manages to overcome it and reach their goals. This is similar to how Yuvraj Singh ran across the stadium while sacrificing his health to win the cup for his side, take the all-around player prize for the competition, and light the stage with his amazing feats with the bat and the ball.

Virat Kohli

The modern-day great, Virat Kohli, played a significant part in India’s triumphant campaign and, after 28 years, helped India win the trophy with a 35-run performance by Kohli against Sri Lanka in the final. In nine games, Kohli amassed 282 runs at an average of 35.25, including a century in the group stage against Bangladesh.

Sachin-Sehwag Opening

Another main reason that India could achieve this World Cup in 2011 was the flying starts provided by Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag. Sehwag had an incredible strike rate of 122.58 during the competition, scoring 380 runs. His 175 against Bangladesh was the highest individual score during that World Cup.

Zaheer Khan and Suresh Raina

The sweetness of victory is incomplete without acknowledging the name of Zaheer Khan, the veteran who secured 21 wickets in the edition. Apart from all these legendary players, Suresh Raina also played a crucial role in ICC Men’s World Cup 2011. Due to team combinations, Raina—a vital component of the Indian middle order—could only participate in four games. In three innings, he scored 74 runs at an average of 74.00. Raina performed when it mattered most, scoring 34* in 28 balls against Australia in the quarterfinal to help India chase down 261 runs to defeat the reigning champions, despite starting the league encounter with only four runs against the West Indies.

It would always be an honour for them if every cricket fan remembers this occasion. For the Indians, celebrating the runs, wickets, scores, and, yes, the cup will undoubtedly be a memorable occasion. The 2011 ICC World Cup would have been the world cup that every child would have dreamed of, even after 1983.