As India celebrated their third T20 World Cup title last Sunday in Ahmedabad after crushing New Zealand by 96 runs in a one-sided final, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi recalled the 2011 ODI World Cup, the only other time India had lifted an ICC trophy at home, beating Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
One of the defining matches of that tournament took place in Mohali, where an MS Dhoni-led India faced Pakistan in the second semifinal. Riding on Sachin Tendulkar’s 85, India posted 260 before a disciplined bowling effort restricted Pakistan to 231 with a ball to spare.
Speaking on Samaa TV, Afridi recalled how the electric Mohali crowd lifted the Indian side during the tense clash, to the point that it created panic in the Pakistan dressing room, leaving some batters trembling as they walked out to face the mounting pressure.
“I remember when we were playing the World Cup semi-final at Mohali in 2011, we made a very good start. Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal were batting and our score was 90 something for loss of no wicket (Pakistan were 44 for 0 before they lost Kamran Akmal). I, as the captain, was sitting relaxed in the dressing room believing that we will win the match. After the first wicket fell, the way the crowd got behind the Indian team and the way the Indian team were fighting, some of our batsmen were trembling while going out to bat. I, as a leader and captain, was seeing that after Hafeez got out (Hafeez got out with Pakistan score of 70 for 1), their players were high in confidence after every ball. I believe we came under a lot of pressure,” Afridi said.
India went on to win their second ODI World Cup title later that year under Dhoni, who had earlier led the team to victory in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007.
With the latest triumph, India now have seven ICC titles, three T20 World Cups and two each in the ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy.
