This month that year: A journey through time

lsquoOh no what just happened Why is Dhoni being made to toss again This cannot be a good omen Can we really win this World Cuprsquo 42yearold Shailesh Bhat had found himself ponderingldquoWhen Viru Paaji Virender Sehwag got out you could hear a pin drop The stadium was unusually quiet At times I could hear people chanting smiles Sochke hassi aata hai abhi I now laugh thinking about it It was a different experience we were all one that night We would get nervous if the players looked nervous we would laugh if they laughedhellipcricket makes you do crazy stuffrdquo he nostalgically recalled Indiarsquos triumphant 2011 World Cup campaign on the sidelines of Mumbai Indiansrsquo IPL 2024 showdown at WankhedeBhat adds that he was advised to come back home by his wife because lsquosapne adhure hi reh jayenge iss baar bhirsquo the dream will remain unfulfilled this time too ldquoYes thatrsquos exactly what she had told me over the phone I remember so clearly because I did not like that statement and instead yelled at her and hung up smiles Baad mein maafi bhi maangi I apologised later She was never fond of cricket but she did cry that night after India wonrdquo the 55yearold retired government employee fondly spoke of his late wifeAlso ReadIn the grip of IPL feverAbout 13 years ago on April 2 the hallowed grounds of the Wankhede bore witness to a spectacle of unparalleled magnitude as India squared off against southern neighbours Sri Lanka in the final duel With the hopes and dreams of a nation resting on their shoulders Team India took the field with a steely resolve and unwavering commitmentThe showdown proved to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions characterised by twists and turns that cricket is known to offer The Lankans under the leadership of the mercurial Kumar Sangakkara set a daunting target backed by a forbidding batting unit and a potent bowling attack However India remained unfazed drawing inspiration from their collective spirit and the fervent support of a nation rallying behind themIndia faced early setbacks losing Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag in quick succession and yet amid the backdrop of tension and drama it was the calm and composed partnership between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli that steadied the innings thereby laying the foundation for a memorable comeback Gambhirs sublime innings anchored by his ironclad resolve and impeccable timing proved to be the cornerstone of Indias runchase that nightHowever the match reached its real climax with the indomitable spirit of MS Dhoni With nerves of steel and ice running through his veins the skipper orchestrated a masterstroke promoting himself up the batting order ldquoAs wickets fell there was naturally more praying and chanting Every now and then I would try to gauge the crowdrsquos reaction With all of this happening we get to see MSD Dhoni coming in to bat now that was a real surprise We saw he promoted himself up the order but didnrsquot know what he was about to do Irsquom still curious to know what he must have been thinking As a skipper especially itrsquos never easy Even if you were not a fan of his something in the air had just prompted the entire Wankhede crowd to chant lsquoDhoni Dhoni Dhonirsquo It is inexplicablerdquo Bhat remarked his eyes shimmering with excitementAlso ReadThe magic of Bhupen LalwaniThe crowd unleashed a thunderous cacophony as Dhoni led an onslaught of boundaries culminating in a towering six that people thank him for even to this day As the ball soared into the sky carrying with it the hopes and aspirations of a billion souls Wankhede erupted in a cacophony of absolute jubilation and ecstasyIndia had achieved the seemingly impossible clinching World Cup glory on home soil after a wait of 28 years For a nation starved of cricketing success it was a moment of unbridled joy and euphoria a culmination of dreams and aspirations that had been years in the makingldquoIt seemed all of us knew that Dhoni would win it for India But yes we probably won the Cup because of all the praying and chanting laughs It feels good to recall that moment I saw strangers embracing and warmly greeting each other some were in tears a few were dancing wildly lost in the euphoria of the moment Sab kuch dekhne ko mila Bass farq yeh hai aap TV pe dekhe aur hum seedha maidan se Woh pal jitna humara tha utna aapka bhi tha I witnessed everything that nighthellipthe only difference is I saw it live from the stands and you on TVhellipthat moment belonged to everyone of us Jai Hindrdquo Bhat signed offAs the echoes of Indiarsquos ascent to glory reverberate through the corridors of time they serve as a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of a team that dared to dream and a nation that believed