Few excerpts from the global media on India's historic ICC world cup 2011 win at Mumbai on 2 April
Lankanewspapers.com
"Dhoni trumped a poetic century from Mahela Jayawardene to pull off the highest run-chase ever achieved in a World Cup final"
Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka )
"Gambhir, who was dropped on 30 and escaped a run-out chance on 49, turned the match around by adding 83 for the third wicket with Virat Kohli and 109 for the fourth with Dhoni."
The Nation(Sri Lanka )
"Lost but not ashamed " "Sri Lanka once again had to be content with the title of bridesmaid after finishing second to India in the Cricket World Cup final played to a packed Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.They were runner-up to Australia at the 2007 World Cup in 2007." "For Kumar Sangakkara and his boys it was a big disappointment not to have the silver ware in their possession after months and months of practice and sacrifice.Sri Lanka was one of the favourites to lift the World Cup and quite rightly they reached the final keeping faith with their ranking, but in a final only one team can win and on this occasion it happened to be Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s India who emerged triumphant by six wickets after nearly seven hours of intense cricket." "For Sangakkara and Co the defeat would have been hard to swallow for this was the final chance for most of the team members to lay their hands on a World Cup before they retire. Muthiah Muralitharan who bowed out of one-day cricket after the final failed to produce his usual magic and that alone proved that luck was not with Sri Lanka.The presence of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his entourage at the final proved an inspiration to the team to raise their game but although Sri Lanka tried valiantly, today was not to be their day. As Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara put it across rather gingerly, ‘The better side won.”
The Australian
"India defies history .No host nation had previously won the World Cup" ."The win bore little resemblance to the fairytale finish the Mumbai crowd had been hoping for; one in which Sachin Tendulkar saw out his final World Cup by hitting his hundredth century before his home town crowd."
Sydney morning Herald
"Dhoni's men emulated Kapil Dev's compatriots who won the 1983 World Cup by beating the West Indies in the final at Lord's in London." "It was only the third time in 10 World Cup finals that a side batting second had chased down the victory target.The finale gave Tendulkar, the world's most successful Test and one-day batsman, his first World Cup title in six appearances since 1992."."The defeat ended Sri Lankan star bowler Muttiah Muralitharan's dream of being part of a second World Cup-winning team, having won the title under Arjuna Ranatunga in 1996 in Lahore." "A half-fit Muralitharan, who turns 39 next month, went wicketless in eight overs to end his career with a record 800 Test and 534 one-day wickets.".
The Dawn ( Pakistan )
"So dominant was India that Murali backed off from bowling in the PPs. And India broke the game open against Malinga, the most feared of the opposition bowlers." "As chases go, this one ranks with the best India has ever been involved in -- and when you factor in the occasion, the pressure, the early loss of two powerful batsmen -- you could say this is it, the game that tells this team that nothing, not a thing on the cricket field, is beyond them once they set their minds to do it."
The Nation (Pakistan )
"Sachin Tendulkar failed with the bat but still ended a World Cup-winner for the first time on Saturday as India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final.Many fans in a capacity 33,000 crowd had piled into the Wankhede Stadium hoping to see the 37-year-old Tendulkar, on his home ground, score his hundredth international hundred." "Tendulkar walked off to the kind of standing ovation usually reserved for batsmen who’ve scored far more than 18, in what was a recognition of his previous great deeds rather than this innings."
The Guardian (UK)
"Forget the fairytale finish that had Sachin Tendulkar or Muttiah Muralitharan contriving a tear-stained swan song. The epitome of new India dominated the match. Dhoni is young enough to lead India to the next World Cup when he will be quite a rich man."Tendulkar could only contribute the briefest of cameos in his home town, 18 in 14 balls. As for Muralitharan, initially he was treated with respect, but towards the end Dhoni punched him through the covers with awesome power. By the standards of old, Murali was bowling donkey drops and with his body creaking, he could not muster any more venom. Towards the end he held
out his hands in exasperation at the wet ball, at the mis-fields, but the true cause of his despair was the realisation that he was impotent to stem the Indian tide. Sangakkara did not even turn to him when the position was dire."
"Not without controversy or melodrama, the Indian dream came true". "Mahendra Dhoni tossed the coin. No one quite heard what Sangakkara called. Shastri announced that the coin, specially minted (and soon available from the ICC via auction – they try not to miss any opportunity for making a bit more dosh) had come down displaying a head. Then there was confusion since Sangakkara was certainly not volunteering that he had called "tails". Briefly the captains stared at one another.Swiftly the match referee, Jeff Crowe, demanded another toss, which was undoubtedly won by Sangakkara. The whole episode was an embarrassment to the affable Crowe. In the final between Australia and Sri Lanka four years ago in Barbados he did not know when the game should finish. Here he could not get the final under way properly."
"So had Sangakkara pulled a fast one? One snippet for the prosecution: if Sangakkara had called heads the first time around surely he would have made much more of a fuss when there was the suggestion of another toss? He, like Dhoni, was very keen, to bat first. Instead, he was all equivocation. Being a lawyer, Sangakkara will have an articulate defence, albeit a soft-spoken one, I suppose."
New zeland Herald
"They turned the flaky concept of destiny into firm reality and broke the country's 28-year Cup drought. They are the first team to win the World Cup at home." "As former India and now New Zealand coach John Wright has reiterated at length over the past few weeks: you can't coach "want".India demonstrated "want" more than Sri Lanka to win their second World Cup title by six wickets with 10 balls to spare. ""Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed "want", promoting himself to take responsibility at five in the order." "That sort of pluck is how his marketing company managed to sign him to his most recent endorsement deal of US$50 million over two years from July.His highest previous score this tournament was 34 but he played to the manor born with a closing knock of 91 not out including a six over long-on to win it. One imagines that footage will get a decent run across Indian media for generations to come." "The 33,000 Wankhede Stadium crowd was a fascinating barometer of match momentum. "
The star (South Africa)
"Sachin Tendulkar failed with the bat but still ended a World Cup-winner for the first time on Saturday as India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final. " "But instead the star batsman, bidding to fulfil a lifelong ambition by winning the World Cup at his sixth – and in all likelihood last - attempt, was dismissed for just 18. "
The Bangaladesh Today (Bangladesh)
"Defeat for Sri Lanka was their second in successive World Cup finals after losing to Australia in Barbados four years ago.It also meant there was no fairytale finish for record-breaking off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, the sole survivor from Sri Lanka's 1996 champion side, who had announced previously he would retire after this World Cup. "
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