Sachin Tendulkar and Shahid Afridi during the 2011 ODI World Cup Semi-Finals
The 2011 ODI World Cup will forever be etched in Indian cricket fans’ memories, especially as India clinched the title on home soil. However, the semi-final clash against Pakistan added an extra layer of magic to the journey. Pakistan’s fielders made costly mistakes, giving Sachin Tendulkar four lifelines during his innings. These crucial dropped catches shifted the momentum in India’s favour, with Tendulkar going on to play a key role in India’s victory. Pakistan’s missed opportunities ultimately cost them a place in the final, making this thrilling encounter a memorable chapter in World Cup history. Now, let’s relive the amazing clash between both the teams.
The fever of the 2011 ODI World Cup reached its peak during the highly anticipated semi-final clash between India and Pakistan at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, on March 30, 2011. With the sun shining brightly and the eyes of millions across both nations fixed on the match, the atmosphere was electric. Adding to the occasion, the Prime Ministers of both countries, Dr Manmohan Singh of India and Mr Yousuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan were present to witness the historic encounter.
MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first. The Indian openers, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag made a blistering start. Sehwag, known for his attacking flair, hit a boundary on the third ball of the first over. In the very next over, he put on an explosive show, smashing five boundaries off Umar Gul, and taking 21 runs from the over. India was off to a flying start, reaching 47/0 in just 5 overs. However, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi responded by bringing in Umar Gul for his pace attack. Gul struck in his fifth over, dismissing Sehwag LBW for 38 off 25 balls.
The momentum shifted briefly, but the real drama unfolded in the 10th over when Saeed Ajmal trapped Sachin Tendulkar LBW. Tendulkar immediately reviewed the decision, and much to everyone’s surprise, the DRS showed the ball was missing leg stump, overturning the on-field decision. On the very next ball, another appeal for stumping came, but Sachin was safely inside the crease, adding more suspense to the thrilling contest.
By the 13th over, India was at 84/1, and in the following over, Sachin Tendulkar was handed a lifeline when Misbah-ul-Haq dropped a straightforward catch. The match took another turn when Saeed Ajmal dismissed Gautam Gambhir for 27 off 32 balls in the 19th over, leaving India at 116/2. Virat Kohli joined Tendulkar at the crease, but in the very next over, Sachin was again dropped, this time by Younis Khan, granting him another reprieve.
The tension escalated in the 25th over when Wahab Riaz sparked a collapse, first removing Virat Kohli for 9 runs off 21 balls, and then sending Yuvraj Singh back for a duck, leaving India in trouble at 145/4. MS Dhoni joined Tendulkar at the crease, but India’s struggles continued. Tendulkar, riding his luck, was dropped once again, this time by Umar Akmal in the 35th over, with India at 168/4 in the 30th over.
The drama intensified in the 37th over when Saeed Ajmal finally got the breakthrough, dismissing Tendulkar for 85 runs off 115 balls, and India found themselves at 187/5. In the 41st over, Wahab Riaz struck again, sending MS Dhoni back for 25 runs off 42 balls, leaving India at 205/6. With India in a precarious position, Suresh Raina emerged as the saviour. His gritty knock guided India to a total of 260/9, with Wahab Riaz picking up a fifer in a valiant bowling effort.
To chase down India’s target of 261, Pakistan’s openers, Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez, began with aggressive intent, taking a boundary on the very first ball of the innings. They kept up the pressure, and by the 8th over, Pakistan was at a steady 43/0. With the start looking promising, Pakistan appeared to be in control. India, however, was searching for early breakthroughs, and MS Dhoni turned to Zaheer Khan for another spell. Zaheer delivered in the 9th over, dismissing Kamran Akmal for 19 runs off 22 balls, leaving Pakistan at 44/1.
Asad Shafiq came to the crease and steadied the ship. However, just when a partnership was starting to build, Mohammad Hafeez played a reckless shot, getting dismissed for 43 runs off 59 balls. Pakistan was now at 72/2 by the 16th over, and India had found a way back into the game. Pakistan, still needing 189 runs from 34 overs, relied on singles and doubles to keep the scoreboard ticking. MS Dhoni, sensing the need for wickets, introduced Yuvraj Singh into the attack and was soon rewarded. In the 24th over, Yuvraj got the wicket of Asad Shafiq, bowled out for 30 runs off 39 balls, bringing Pakistan to 103/3.
With 158 runs required off 26 overs, the game was still in the balance, but Pakistan was losing momentum. In the 26th over, Younis Khan’s dismissal turned the tide in India’s favour. He was bowled out, and Pakistan found themselves at 106/4, still requiring 155 runs. Umar Akmal then came in, playing a few aggressive shots, smashing two sixes and a boundary off Yuvraj Singh, trying to keep Pakistan’s hopes alive. But in the 33rd over, Harbhajan Singh’s doosra got the better of Umar Akmal, dismissing him for 29 runs off 24 balls, leaving Pakistan at 144/5.
Just as Pakistan’s fifth wicket fell, Munaf Patel struck a crucial blow, removing Abdul Razzaq with a slower ball for just 3 runs off 9 balls. Pakistan was now at 152/6, still needing 109 runs off 78 balls. The pressure mounted, and to make matters worse for Pakistan, Harbhajan Singh dismissed Shahid Afridi for 19 runs off 17 balls. Pakistan now stood at 184/7, with India closing in on a victory. With just three wickets remaining and the required run rate climbing, Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the final were slipping away.
To wrap up Pakistan’s innings, MS Dhoni turned to his pacers. Ashish Nehra struck in the 46th over, dismissing Wahab Riaz, who was caught by Sachin Tendulkar for 8 runs off 14 balls. Pakistan was now teetering at 200/8. With just five overs remaining, Pakistan needed 61 runs with only two wickets in hand, sending the Indian fans into a frenzy as victory seemed imminent. In the 47th over, Nehra delivered again, trapping Umar Gul lbw for 2 runs off 3 balls.
Pakistan was left with just one wicket and a mountain to climb. Misbah-ul-Haq, the last recognized batter, was joined by Saeed Ajmal at the crease. Misbah attempted a fightback, smashing Zaheer Khan for 14 runs in the 48th over, giving the Pakistani fans a glimmer of hope and reducing the equation to 30 runs needed off 6 balls. Zaheer Khan was tasked with bowling the final over, and he executed it brilliantly.
On the second ball, Zaheer bowled a deceptive slower delivery. Misbah went for a wild swing but mistimed it, and the ball soared towards long-on, where Virat Kohli completed a clean catch. Misbah was dismissed for a valiant 56 runs, and Pakistan’s innings ended at 231 in 49.5 overs. India sealed a thrilling 29-run victory, securing their spot in the final of the 2011 ODI World Cup. The team and fans celebrated as India booked their tickets to Mumbai for the grand finale against Sri Lanka, keeping alive their dream of lifting the trophy on home soil.