Watch: Sunil Gavaskar steals the show with his dance moves at Wankhede's 50th anniversary celebrations
Published - 20 Jan 2025, 11:44 AM | Updated - 20 Jan 2025, 11:45 AM
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Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede cricket stadium celebrated its golden jubilee in grand style on Sunday (January 19) night with a vibrant function that featured music, dances, and an impressive laser show, and it was certainly a forgettable evening for the attendees.
The incredible 50 years of the Wankhede Stadium was celebrated by over 60 international cricketers from Mumbai, both men and women, as the iconic legends joined the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to celebrate this historic occasion on Sunday (January 19) in grand fashion.
Highlights of the Wankhede Stadium’s golden jubilee included the unveiling of a memorial stamp and the felicitation of Indian cricket captains from Mumbai—Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, and Diana Edulji.
Sunil Gavaskar dances to “Om Shanti Om” at Wankhede Stadium’s 50th Anniversary
Apart from these moments and cultural festivals that showed Marathi culture, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar’s dance was one of the major highlights of the event in Mumbai. Gavaskar delighted the audience by dancing to the title track of Shah Rukh Khan's Bollywood hit “Om Shanti Om” after the anchor requested him to join.
Even Diana Edulji also joined the legendary India batter, as the duo set the stage on fire with their moves. Sunil Gavaskar grooved enthusiastically to the “Om Shanti Om” song, and even he showed his singing talent by humming this song at the anchor's request. Sachin Tendulkar was also singing the “Om Shanti Om” song in the viral video shared by the MCA.
Watch Here:
वानखेडेवर क्रिकेटची 𝘿𝙚𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞 𝘿𝙚𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞 😍
— Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) (@MumbaiCricAssoc) January 19, 2025
P.S. - Don't miss Sunny G's apratim dance performance! 👌#Wankhede50 | #MCA | #Mumbai | #Cricket pic.twitter.com/t5DllZ9uEC
Sunil Gavaskar singing & dancing for the famous song "Om Shanti Om" ❤️
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 20, 2025
- A beautiful video...!!!! pic.twitter.com/sYWgbReN1Q
It felt like the home ground of Mumbai cricket: Sunil Gavaskar
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar said that the Wankhede Stadium is very special to his heart as the legendary batter opened up about how it was "love at first sight.". Gavaskar said at the event as quoted by Times of India: “When the Wankhede Stadium was built in 1974, our dressing room was downstairs. When we stepped onto the ground for the first time for a practice session, it was love at first sight.”
The former Indian captain further added, “Prior to that, we were playing at the Brabourne Stadium, which belonged to a club (Cricket Club of India). But coming here, it felt like the home ground of Mumbai cricket. The feeling is always different when you have a home ground. I still get that feeling whenever I come for commentary. It feels like a home ground, and that's truly a wonderful feeling. My chest swells with pride.”
Historic moments at Wankhede Stadium in brief
Apart from the Mumbai cricketers, the Wankhede Stadium also holds a special place in the hearts of cricket fans as it hosted the celebrations of India’s first-ever T20 World Cup win under MS Dhoni in 2007 and also witnessed the legendary 2011 World Cup victory, where the legendary wicketkeeper-batter sealed the win with a memorable six against Sri Lanka.
More recently, the stadium honored Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team for their T20 World Cup triumph in 2024. Notably, the Wankhede was inaugurated in January 1975 during the fifth and final Test of the series against the West Indies. The stadium has also hosted 63 international matches so far, including 27 Tests, 28 ODIs, and eight T20Is, along with numerous domestic games and Indian Premier League (IPL) clashes.
