Back in 2011, Team India, led by the legendary MS Dhoni, made waves in the ODI World Cup. With the tournament hosted on their home turf, the team felt the weight of a 28-year drought for an ICC trophy and was itching to change that. After Kapil Dev’s team took home the first World Cup trophy back in 1983, India faced a series of tough losses in big international matches. The squad in 2011, which included some household names like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Yuvraj Singh, was determined to shake off that streak of bad luck.
In the early rounds of the World Cup, India looked pretty strong and cruised through the group stage without too many bumps. But then came the quarter-finals, where they faced the formidable Australian team. On that memorable day, over 50,000 fans packed into the Narendra Modi Stadium, what used to be called Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, ready to see this historic showdown.
Australia, managed by Ricky Ponting, was a powerful squad, having won the World Cup in 2003 and 2007. They suffered only one loss during the group stage and were eager to keep their winning streak alive. After winning the toss, Ponting decided that his team would bat first, stepping up to the occasion even though some key batsmen didn’t perform as well as expected. The Aussie captain put in a solid performance, knocking out a crucial 104 runs and helping Australia set a competitive target of 261 runs. Even though Shane Watson was sent back early, opener Brad Haddin chipped in with 53 runs, and David Hussey added 38 more down the order. For India, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, and Ravichandran Ashwin each took two wickets, keeping Australia at bay.
Yuvraj Singh ending Australia's reign in 2011 progresses to the next round of the @bira91 @cricketworldcup Greatest Moments competition! pic.twitter.com/UuVp4qPTFc
— ICC (@ICC) April 14, 2019
India’s batting didn’t quite take off as they hoped at first. Sehwag managed just 15 runs before being dismissed in the closing moments of the powerplay. Tendulkar, however, found some rhythm and scored 53 runs off 68 balls, and Gambhir also did well, contributing a solid half-century. Things got a bit tense when Dhoni got out after a quick 24-run cameo, leaving a young Virat Kohli to navigate the innings.
Luckily, Yuvraj was steady on the other end, showcasing his talent with an unbeaten 57 runs, hitting eight beautiful boundaries. Suresh Raina supported him well, slamming two fours and a six, making 34 runs off 28 balls. Together, they pulled India over the finish line in the 48th over, securing their place in the semi-finals.
⭐ 57* runs
— ICC (@ICC) March 24, 2020
⭐ 65 balls
⭐ 8 fours#OnThisDay in 2011, a ferocious Yuvraj Singh took India to a five-wicket win against Australia in the @cricketworldcup quarter-final!
This was their first #CWC win over Australia in 24 years 🤯 pic.twitter.com/7Qejhqr5fM
Feeling the momentum, they took on Pakistan next and cruised to victory before heading into the big final, where they faced Sri Lanka. It was an unforgettable tournament that brought back the trophy to India, and fans still cherish those moments today.
