MS Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup-winning six: The 2011 World Cup victory against Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai added to the illustrious history of Indian cricket. The winning shot (a six) off MS Dhoni’s bat is arguably the most beautiful moment documented in cricket’s history, and the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has devised a plan to ensure that it remains the most talked-about six for years to come.
The MCA has decided to auction off the two seats where the ball landed during the 2011 World Cup final. On their social media accounts, the MCA posted a message stating: “Dhoni concludes in grand form… The MCA will auction off the two seats where the ball landed at the Wankhede Stadium after MS Dhoni hit the decisive six that won the 2011 ICC World Cup for India.”
As the 2023 Cricket World Cup fever is at an all-time high, with billions of fans pinning their hopes on the Rohit Sharma-led 15-member squad to end the trophy drought, putting those two seats up for auction now will only stoke the flames of fervor and optimism as the beginning of the marquee event approaches.
MS Dhoni, the former Indian captain, also shared his insights on the six that forever altered the dynamics of Indian cricket. Dhoni stated in a statement to the media earlier this year: “To me, it was not the winning moment, it was 15-20 minutes ago when emotionally I was very euphoric. At the same time, I was eager to complete it. From this position, we knew we would triumph, and it was extremely difficult for us to lose. Yes, it was more of a sense of accomplishment, “the task is done, let’s move on.”
Dhoni, describing the atmosphere at the Wankhede Stadium at the time, said, “The best sensation was 15 to 20 minutes before the match” (before the winning moment). We didn’t require many runs, the partnership was well-positioned, and there was a great deal of mist. The stadium then began singing Vande Mataram. It is very difficult, in my opinion, to recreate that atmosphere; however, there may be a similar scenario at the upcoming [2023] World Cup, once the stadium is filled and the supporters begin contributing. You know, it’s a very difficult (atmosphere) one to replicate. However, it can only be replicated if the event is similar and there are approximately 40, 50, or 60,000 individuals singing.”
In the meantime, the upcoming Cricket World Cup will be conducted in India and will begin on October 5. On October 8 in Chennai, India will face five-time world champions Australia in its opening match.
