“Dhoni finishes off in style. A magnificent strike into the crowd. India lift the World Cup after 28 years!” Ravi Shastri’s enthusiastic articulation has been embedded into the cricket lovers’ psyche like a mantra and the tagline of India’s World Cup victory.

A tagline that has made an entire nation forget the endeavours of the other players in the team and the hundreds of memories that they had scripted on their quest to glory in 2011.

This day in 2011 🗓️HISTORY 🏆🏆🇮🇳💙 #TeamIndia

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Watch the highlights of the epic 2011 World Cup final and relive the memories here 📽️📽️ https://t.co/qKuPoMeblY pic.twitter.com/C0apY6tqx0

— BCCI (@BCCI) April 2, 2020

On the ninth anniversary of India’s first World Cup win after 28 years, we take a look at some of the unspoken moments which had become salient parts of the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team’s journey from Mirpur to the Wankhede and realise it was not the captain but his entire team that had finished things off in style.

Virender Sehwag taking offence from the word ‘go’

The freak that he was, Virender Sehwag had taken it upon himself to give his team the momentum from the very first ball and he did it at ease against the likes of Dale Steyn and James Anderson. With boundaries in the opening delivery of five consecutive matches, Sehwag had created a trend by himself.

Likewise, it was his 175 off 140 balls against Bangladesh in the tournament opener that drove India to the dream start they were looking for. The Nawab did not have a great tournament afterward with only one half-century in the next seven matches but with at least a boundary in the first ball he was the team’s party popper.

Virat Kohli’s century on World Cup debut

Much was talked about the selection of Virat Kohli over Rohit Sharma. While some wanted the Mumbaikar whom Sachin Tendulkar himself wanted to give his place to, others called for both the youngsters. But Kohli was not only selected in the squad, he was picked in the playing eleven as well for the first match against Bangladesh over Suresh Raina.

That Kohli was talented was beyond doubts but his numbers till then had not done much justice to his cause. And stats tend to tell the major parts of the story at a big stage like World Cup. However, with a hundred on World Cup debut, Kohli showed that he was a big match player. His grand announcement at international cricket was still a year-and-a-half away but the 100-not-out in Mirpur was a glimpse of what was about to come.

 The tie between India and England

Had the 2019 final not been played the way it was, the India-England group encounter in 2011 would always remain the most dramatic World Cup match ever. To start with, Sachin Tendulkar did what he did the best and scored a century to help India post a mammoth 300+ score.

But a lackadaisical bowling performance saw England requiring just 67 in the last 10 overs with eight wickets in hand and one batsman (Andrew Strauss) batting at 151 and the other (Ian Bell) at 67. But an inspired bowling change and introduction of Zaheer Khan and two wickets in two overs by the veteran left-armer almost gave India an enthralling victory and caused a major heartbreak for England.

Sachin Tendulkar’s hundreds in vain

Everyone knew, and most importantly the Master knew it himself, that it was the ultimate chance for him to achieve his longstanding dream of lifting the World Cup. And he came all guns blazing, scoring runs in bulk at an average of over 50.

But his efforts at the initial stages did not pay any heed to the team as both his centuries went in vain. His 120 against England and 111 against South Africa – both in the group stage – failed to be in a winning cause. While one came in a tied contest, the other in a defeat.

Yuvraj Singh’s history in making

Yuvraj Singh had always been a classic left-hander’s tale but the 2011 World Cup saw the man giving birth to one of the best all-rounders to have donned the Blue for India. With 362 runs (4 half-centuries, one hundred) at an abnormal average of 90 and 15 wickets with one five-wicket haul, Yuvraj Singh has immortalised himself in the pages of the sport.

Also, we are all aware of the fight he had within and how he won that as well.

Zaheer Khan doing what he couldn’t in South Africa

The final of the 2003 World Cup had seen a young Zaheer Khan – who had a great tournament till then and was his team’s leading wicket-taker – conceding 15 runs in the first over of the game. Cut to 2011, the youngster was a veteran and was leading a mediocre attack in a World Cup on his home soil.

But, Zaheer seemed to be a man on a mission as he kept his team in the hunt with the little ammunition he had in his arsenal. The joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, Zaheer’s unscathed contribution more often than not has gone unspoken.

Gambhir’s tale of another final

Cometh the World Cup final, cometh the man. Gautam Gambhir was the ghost of that star-studded Indian line-up who remained under the shadows of the others. He was seen when the sun was directly over the head and India were reeling at 30/2 in the final, chasing 275.

The 97 in the 2011 World Cup final still remains a dream for many batsmen, including a certain chase master known as Virat Kohli. No dramatics and classic display of temperament in a crunch situation, Gambhir’s innings had everything that is required in a knock while chasing. The only thing the 97 lacked was a finish but nevertheless, like in the past nine years, it will remain eternal as a folklore.