Thisara Perera reveals exact reason behind Sri Lanka's 2011 ODI World Cup final loss to India

Former Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera opened up about his team’s loss to India in the 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Perera emphasized the old saying, “Catches win matches,” and admitted that Sri Lanka's fielding lapses proved costly in the summit clash against India.

Team India, led by MS Dhoni, secured their second 50-over World Cup title in 2011. The Men in Blue defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With this victory, the India national cricket team became the first host nation to win a Men's ODI World Cup on home soil.

We Thought We Were on the Track, But... - Thisara Perera

Speaking to Sportskeeda during the Asian Legends League, Thisara Perera said that dropped catches were the reason Sri Lanka lost that game. Perera stated that they managed to take early breakthroughs, but Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Yuvraj Singh helped India secure victory.

"I feel that we missed a few catches. It’s always said that ‘catches win matches.’ We missed that. So, that’s the story of the final. Gambhir, Kohli, Dhoni and Yuvraj had good partnerships,” Perera told Sportskeeda.

"That’s why we lost the final. We took two huge wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag early. When we took the two wickets, we thought we are on the track but it did not happen," he added.

Thisara Perera Played Crucial Cameos in the 2011 ODI World Cup Final & 2014 T20 World Cup Final

Thisara Perera played a crucial cameo in the 2011 ODI World Cup final. The left-handed batter scored 22 runs off just nine balls, helping Sri Lanka post 274/6. At the time, no team had ever successfully chased a target of 275 in a World Cup final.

Sri Lanka started well with the ball, as Lasith Malinga dismissed Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early. However, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir steadied the chase before Gambhir and MS Dhoni built a match-winning stand. Gambhir fell for 97, but Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh ensured India’s six-wicket win.

Sri Lanka managed to take revenge in the 2014 T20 World Cup final against India, with Perera hitting the winning runs to help Sri Lanka lift the trophy.

All Cricketers Dream of Playing in a World Cup - Thisara Perera

Thisara Perera also recalled his experiences of playing in two finals against India—one in the 2011 ODI World Cup and the other in the 2014 T20 World Cup. He described playing in World Cup finals as a dream come true.

"All cricketers dream of playing in a World Cup, especially the World Cup Final. I had so many dreams. This is my best feeling when I hit the sixes in 2011 and 2014. It's really good now looking back. It was really a dream come true," Perera said.

Perera is currently leading the Sri Lankan Lions in the Asian Legends League. Under his captaincy, the team has advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament in Nathdwara.

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