MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni (Image Credit: Twitter)

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has picked his epic match-winning knock of 91* (off 79 balls) in the 2011 World Cup final as his favourite knock of his storied international career.

Dhoni’s revelation comes on a day when the entire nation is rejoicing the tenth anniversary of India’s second World Cup win.

On the 2nd of April, 2011, Team India finally exorcised the demons of previous heartbreaks in the quadrennial event and became the first team in the history of the game to win a World Cup on home soil.

On the night of the final, MS Dhoni made a tactical move by promoting himself ahead of the in-form Yuvraj Singh and the move proved to be a masterstroke as the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman took the run-chase by the scruff off its neck, eventually sealing it with one of the most famous and important sixes in Indian cricket history.

MS Dhoni, 2011 World Cup Final
MS Dhoni [Image-Getty]
Coming into the final, Dhoni had endured a poor tournament with the bat. He had failed to notch up a single 50+ score throughout the campaign but come the night of the final, the champion cricketer brought his A-game to the table.

Chasing 273 to win the World Cup, India were in a tricky situation after having lost Virat Kohli at the score of 114. And, while everyone expected Yuvraj to walk out to bat, Dhoni made a tactical move and promoted himself.

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The reason behind Dhoni’s move to promote himself apart from keeping the left-right combination intact was the fact that he was pretty confident about tackling Sri Lanka’s trump card- Muttiah Muralitharan.

Murali had got the better of MSD in the 2007 World Cup but having played with him at CSK, Dhoni knew about the champion spinners trickery this time around.

It was a calculated knock by MS Dhoni during which he ran hard between the wickets and converted 1s into 2s besides making full use of loose deliveries.

MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni’s six that won India the World Cup [Image-Getty]
Gambhir was eventually dismissed for 97 but Dhoni ensured that he stayed till the end and the moment that the entire nation had been waiting for 28 years finally arrived when he smoked Nuwan Kulasekara for a six over long-on.

And as Ravi Shastri thundered-“Dhoniiiiiii finishes off in style. A magnificent hit into the crowd, India lift the World Cup after 28 years and it’s an Indian captain who has been absolutely magnificent on the night of the final”  India’s 28-year-old dream was finally realized.

MS Dhoni was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ for his unbeaten knock of 91 and the six that he hit to win the World Cup continues to be the epochal moment in Indian cricket history.

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Dhoni revealed his favorite knock during a special video termed ‘Dhoni X Dhoni’ by Gulf oil.

Also Read- Here’s How India’s 2011 World Cup Winning Members Are Celebrating The 10th Anniversary Of The Memorable Heist

 

Watch the video here: