Indian Cricketing legend and Bharat Ratna, Sachin Tendulkar, reminisced about the fond memory of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup triumph, stating that the thrill from the very first ball remained constant during that unforgettable night. On this date (April 2) in 2011, India triumphed over a formidable Sri Lanka team thanks to outstanding contributions from Zaheer Khan, Gautam Gambhir, and captain MS Dhoni at a bustling Wankhede Stadium, reclaiming the World Cup title 28 years after their initial victory in 1983 led by Kapil Dev.
Fifteen years later, Tendulkar noted that the team, having matured collectively, possessed a shared aspiration of winning a World Cup for India.
He conveyed sincere appreciation to teammates and fans for joining the journey and making the victory genuinely memorable
“The first ball always makes your heart race, and that night, it never stopped. 15 years later, it still stays with us. We all grew up as a bunch of young cricketers, united by one dream. To win the World Cup for India. To everyone who was a part of the journey, and to all the fans…thank you for sharing it with us and making it so special. Jai Hind,” Tendulkar wrote in an Instagram post.
The first ball always makes your heart race… and that night, it never stopped.
15 years later, it still stays with us. We all grew up as a bunch of young cricketers, united by one dream. To win the World Cup for India.
To everyone who was a part of the journey, and to all the… pic.twitter.com/rW141yJraF
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 2, 2026
Tendulkar, who played his last World Cup ever, was India’s leading run-getter and overall second-highest run-getter, with 482 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.55, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score is 120.
What happened during the WC final?
Coming to the title clash, Sri Lanka opted to bat first and reached 274/6, owing to an unbeaten century by Mahela Jayawardene (113), knocks by skipper Kumar Sangakkara (48), Tillakaratne Dilshan (48) and Thisara Perera (22*).
Zaheer Khan (2/60) and Yuvraj Singh (2/49) were the pick of the bowlers for India. In the run chase, India struggled initially after the dismissal of openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early. Then knocks from Gautam Gambhir (97), Virat Kohli (35), MS Dhoni (91*) and Yuvraj Singh (21*) helped India secure a six-wicket win.
with inputs from agency
