Here's a look at MS Dhoni and Team India's epic run on the road to their World Cup 2011 triumph
India players celebrate after winning the 2011 World Cup at Wankhede on April 2, 2011. PIC/ATUL KAMBLE
v Bangladesh
Result: Won by 87 runs
Opener Virender Sehwag launched India's campaign with a blistering 175. Virat Kohli too contributed with a ton in his first World Cup innings. The duo added 203 runs for the third wicket to propel India to 370-4. Thanks to pacer Munaf Patel's 4-48, hosts Bangladesh were restricted to 283-9, thus falling short by 87 runs.
v England
Result: Match tied
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar delighted the Bangalore crowd with a vintage performance (120 off115 balls) as India posted a mammoth 338. It looked like an easy win for the hosts but Andrew Strauss had other plans. The England skipper, opening the innings, smashed 158 to take the visitors close to the target. England managed 13 off the last over from pacer Munaf as the game ended in a thrilling tie.
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v Ireland
Result: Won by five wickets
Yuvraj Singh starred with an all-round effort against Ireland. His maiden five-wicket haul helped India bowl out the minnows for just 207 before his unbeaten fifty ensured the hosts reached home with four overs to spare.
v Netherlands
Result: Won by five wickets
Yuvraj took the centre stage yet again. The left-arm spinner claimed 2-43 and scored an unbeaten 51 as India chased the 190-run target with over 13 overs to spare.
v South Africa
Result: Lost by three wickets
Tendulkar's second ton (111 off 101 balls) of the tournament went in vain as India suffered its first defeat. At 268-2 in 40 overs, India looked all set for a big total, but the hosts stumbled in the last nine overs, thus managing just 296 in 48.4 overs. With 13 required of the last over, Robin Peterson smashed two fours and a six off pacer Ashish Nehra's final over to help the Proteas reach the target with two balls to spare.
v West Indies
Result: Won by 80 runs
Yuvraj bossed yet again with an all-round show to help India end the league stage on a high. The middle-order batsman's maiden World Cup ton (113) took India to 268. Pacer Zaheer Khan's 3-26 and two wickets each from spinners R Ashwin and Yuvraj ensured an easy win for India after bowling out Windies for 188 in just 43 overs.
v Australia (Quarter-final)
Result: Won by five wickets
Australia skipper Ricky Ponting led from the front in a crucial encounter with his first international hundred in 13 months to help the defending champions post a fighting 260-6. But in-form Yuvraj was determined to take India home. His unbeaten 57 and some late hitting by Suresh Raina (34 not out) made the target look easy as the hosts ended champions Australia's World Cup dreams with 14 balls to spare.
v Pakistan (Semi-final)
Result: Won by 29 runs
Tendulkar took full advantage of four dropped catches by arch-rivals Pakistan in a high voltage encounter. The batting maestro's 85 and an unbeaten 36 by Raina propelled India to 260-9. Pakistan, in reply, began the chase well and looked comfortable at 100-2 in 23 overs. But Yuvraj claimed two wickets off consecutive overs to bring India back into the match. The visitors couldn't recover thereafter thus falling short by 29 runs.
v Sri Lanka (Final)
Result: Won by six wickets
The final began with a toss confusion. The coin had to be tossed twice as match referee Jeff Crowe didn't hear Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara's call in the first attempt. Sri Lanka were made to sweat for every run after winning the toss, as the visitors crawled to 100-2 in 24 overs. But a quickfire unbeaten 103 off 88 balls by Mahela Jayawardene took Sri Lanka to 274-6. In reply, India lost opener Virender Sehwag for a duck off the second ball of the innings. But Gautam Gambhir's 97 and 91 not out from skipper MS Dhoni ensured India beat Sri Lanka to lift the World Cup after 28 years.
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