MS Dhoni's last-ball six in 2011 World Cup final will remain in Indian cricket history forever: Sourav Ganguly

No Indian fan can forget Ravi Shastri’s words from the commentator’s box– ‘Dhoni finishes off in style… A magnificent strike into the crowd.’ It was truly a never-to-be-forgotten moment for every Indian who was glued to his television sets. It was a triumph which will be remembered for generations as Dhoni smashed Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Kulasekara for a six to seal the 2011 World Cup victory for India.

The whole Wankhede was on its feet and people all across the country were on the streets to celebrate India’s World Cup triumph. Amongst the millions of happy faces, one jubilant face was former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, who said that he was so happy to see Dhoni win the trophy for India, especially after the team under his leadership fell at the final hurdle in 2003.

Ganguly recalled his memories of India winning the World Cup in 2011 and said it was ‘the biggest day’ in Indian cricket. ‘The Kolkata Prince’ led India to the World Cup final in 2003. However, India wasn’t able to cross the finishing line as Ricky Ponting’s Australia outclassed them in the final.

“For me, the biggest day was when India won the World Cup in 2011. The great MS Dhoni… that shot, that six off the last ball will remain in Indian cricket history forever and what a moment it was,” Ganguly said in an online video lecture for Unacademy.

“I remember I was at the Wankhede Stadium that night and I came down from the commentary box to watch Dhoni and the team go around the ground.

In 2003 the team which I was the captain lost the final to Australia so I was so happy to see Dhoni have the opportunity to win that trophy,” he added.

That team had seven or eight players who started their careers under me: Sourav Ganguly

Ganguly also highlighted that several players of the World Cup-winning side, including skipper MS Dhoni, had started their career under his captaincy. Hence, it was a proud moment for Ganguly to see the legacy which he left.

“That team had seven or eight players who started their careers under me. The likes of (Virender) Sehwag, Dhoni himself, Yuvraj (Singh), Zaheer (Khan), Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra. So I think that’s a legacy which I was extremely happy to leave behind as a captain.

“And that was my biggest legacy that I left a side which had the ability of winning at home and away from home,” Ganguly said.