Why MS Dhoni Asked For Another Coin Toss In 2011 World Cup Final: Kumar Sangakkara Reveals 

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was all decked up in anticipation of the 2011 World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka. The stadium which has the capacity of accommodating roughly 45,000 spectators was jam-packed in anticipation of the mega clash. The stadium saw a sea of ‘light blue’ as a huge support turned out for the home team.

Incidentally, in the final, the coin toss had to be taken twice. Then Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara while interacting with R Ashwin in the latest episode of the Instagram series Reminisce with Ash, recalled how the situation unfolded in the middle.

MS Dhoni said let’s have another toss of coin: Kumar Sangakkara

The roaring sound from the crowd made it impossible for MS Dhoni to hear which side Kumar Sangakkara had called for in the first attempt. Sangakkara said he has had such moments in India earlier when he could not hear his slip fielder due to the crowds noise at the Eden Gardens.

In the 2011 World Cup final, after MS Dhoni could not hear his counter-part at once, he asked him to go for another coin toss.

“It was a case of I think it was the crowd. It was the crowd. It never happens in Sri Lanka. It only happens in India to me. Once at Eden Gardens, I couldn’t hear myself talk to the first slip. Then of course at the Wankhede.

“I remember calling on the toss. And then, Mahi wasn’t sure what I had called. He said ‘Did you call tails?’. I said ‘No, I called tails’.

“And then the match referee actually said I won the toss. Mahi actually said ‘no, no, no, he didn’t’ There was a little bit of confusion. Mahi said let’s have another toss of the coin. And that’s when the second one went about.

India won the World Cup 2011 final by six wickets to clinch the mega-prize for the second time in history.