We were feeling confident after winning both of our warm-up games against Australia and New Zealand in Chennai and we all knew this was our best chance to win cricket’s ultimate prize. The whole country was behind the team during the competition – in fact, for a month and a half it seemed that all that mattered in India was how we fared in the World Cup. However, we needed to remain calm, and Gary, Paddy Upton, Mike Horn – the well-known explorer who was with us for most of the World Cup and shared stories of his adventures – and the support staff did a wonderful job of keeping our minds on the task at hand.
In Dhaka I invited Yuvraj Singh to my room to have dinner. I have always enjoyed a special friendship with Yuvi and believed that he had a key role to play in the tournament. Yuvi was a little down at the time, as things had not been going well for him, so I encouraged him to set some targets and concentrate on meeting them. We really needed a fully focused Yuvraj and I am delighted to say that’s what we got from him all the way through the tournament.
It is a priceless moment in a cricketer’s career when he lines up for the national anthem at the start of a multi-nation competition. Right through my career, listening to the anthem while standing alongside my team-mates has given me goosebumps. As they played the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ at Mirpur, none of us could hold back our emotions. We knew that for the millions of Indians supporting us, what we were playing was not just a game but a passion.
We won the toss and Virender Sehwag and I stepped out to start our campaign. Viru began in style, hitting the very first ball for a four, and we were off. The early nerves disappeared in no time and we started to enjoy ourselves. We set up a good foundation, scoring at a fair clip, before I was run out for 28 and then Gautam Gambhir for 39. Viru was sublime in his innings of 175 and Virat Kohli contributed a superbly orchestrated century to help take us to 370–4. In the end we won the match comfortably by 87 runs. The 2007 defeat had been avenged and we were off to the start we had hoped for.
An epic encounter
Our next match was against England in Bangalore on 27 February and, as it was our first match at home, the excitement was off the scale.
Something a little odd happened just hours before the England match. In the tournament I was using a favourite bat of mine, the one I had used the previous season, when I was the ICC Cricketer of the Year. Though it was showing its age, I had not discarded it. Rather, I had repaired it time and again and had even sent it to the bat manufacturers for restoration. There was a kind of emotional bond with this bat and every time I couriered it to the manufacturers I felt nervous and prayed that it would not get lost in transit. In the dressing room, with just a few hours left until the match, for some reason I started to knock in a brand-new bat and work on it in my usual way to get the weight exactly right. I even remember telling myself that I was being foolish and wasting my time, because there was no way I would be using a new bat and I would be better off concentrating on the game.
We won the toss at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and opted to bat first. I used my trusted old bat and managed to hit a few boundaries. However, most of them were deflections behind the wicket and it was only when I tried to play a square cut off Ajmal Shahzad that I realized something was wrong. It was a full-blooded stroke but the ball did not travel to the fielder as fast as it should have. It was time to retire the old bat and call for the new one I had been knocking in. While I felt a little sad sending the old bat back to the pavilion, I did score a century with the new one – though I ended up breaking it in the quarter-final against Australia.
I have always enjoyed playing in Bangalore. I began cautiously and with Sehwag in full flow I was content to anchor the innings, but I decided to push the accelerator when Viru was dismissed for 35. Graeme Swann was England’s leading spinner and I hit him for consecutive sixes at the start of his second spell, turning the momentum in our favour. I was finally out for 120 and, with fifties from Gambhir and Yuvi, we made 338 in our fifty overs.
England were brilliant in reply and also benefited from the very heavy dew, which meant our spinners had been rendered ineffective. In conditions of heavy dew the ball just skids on to the bat, something England were to encounter in their match against Ireland at Bangalore. (The Irish, despite losing five wickets cheaply, managed to get home, with Kevin O’Brien scoring a very good hundred.) Against us, Andrew Strauss played one of his best ever one-day innings, making 158, and he almost took England to victory before Zaheer pulled it back for us with a superb second spell, taking three wickets for just 11. The match finally ended in a tie, and it was a terrific advertisement for the game. A total of 676 runs were scored and still the two sides could not be separated. The fans loved the contest and the World Cup had captured the imagination of the cricket-playing world.
It was immediately after this match that talk of us winning the title started in the digital world and slowly the messages started reaching us in the dressing room. These discussions were based not just on our on-field performances. Someone had pointed out that every time Dhoni had been involved in a tie in a multi-nation competition, he had ended up winning the title. This had been the case in the World Twenty20 in 2007 (the India–Pakistan game was tied before India won in a bowl-out), in the IPL and even in the 2010 Champions League Twenty20 that Dhoni had won. This World Cup, it was argued, would be no different.
There’s many a slip
We won our next two pool matches against Ireland and the Netherlands fairly comfortably and met South Africa in Nagpur on 12 March 2011. It was this match that in many ways turned our campaign on its head. We began well and were soon firmly in control. Sehwag and I got off to a quick start – I scored my ninety-ninth international century in this match, but it was not much talked about at the time because the focus was squarely on the World Cup – and we set South Africa a target of 297 after a dramatic batting collapse, losing nine wickets in the last ten overs, with Steyn getting a five-for. Eventually we lost the match with two balls of the South African innings remaining and the defeat hurt us badly.
Unsurprisingly, there was stinging criticism in the media. We had slipped once but we all knew we could not afford to slip again. We simply had to get the campaign back on track in the next match, against the West Indies in Chennai on 20 March, and we managed to do just that, thanks to a Yuvraj Singh century and a surprise slower ball from Zaheer Khan to dismiss the in-form Devon Smith for 81. The crucial knockout phase was about to begin and in the quarter-final at Ahmedabad we drew Australia, the defending champions.
Spicing up practice
It was on the eve of that West Indies match that I tried to introduce an element of fun into my batting practice. I was practising to some throw-downs from Gary Kirsten and was just about to wrap up the session when the idea came to me. I decided to close my eyes for six deliveries, just after the bowler released the ball, then I asked Gary if he had noticed anything different. Gary said he hadn’t, except that my head was staying up when I was driving. I had to keep my head steady, because with your eyes shut you can easily lose the path of the ball with a very slight movement of the head. When I told him I’d had my eyes closed, he was shocked. I explained that I had watched his wrist position when he released the ball, to see if it was, say, an outswinger, and then closed my eyes and visualized the path the ball would travel. After that I went a step further by keeping my eyes shut and telling the fielders where I had hit the ball, based on how and where I felt the ball on the bat. It was just for fun, and I only did it once, but it did help me focus on the release of the ball, which is so important for a batsman.
In my early days I used to practise in an even more unusual manner. In the monsoon season in Mumbai – in June/July/August – it’s not possible to play much normal cricket, but my friends and I would still get together and play in the rain, using rubber balls. Sometimes this would be on a normal pitch without any cover, sometimes on a wet concrete pitch and sometimes on a concrete pitch with
a plastic cover. There were times when I actually wore a proper helmet and my full cricket gear in the pouring rain. The rubber ball would come off the surface at quite a pace and it was a good way of sharpening up my reactions. While practising in the rain I would always ask the guys to bowl to me from 18 yards. They were allowed to bowl or chuck, but the object was always to try to hit me!
It was great fun but it also had a serious side. At the time, we didn’t have any indoor facilities and I had to practise somehow. Things have changed, of course, but in some ways I miss all that. I’ve even thought about doing it again with my son. Young players now grow up with all the best facilities, whereas I had nowhere to go. I had to practise on the roads or on wet outfields, where first the mud would splash onto my face and then the ball would follow! It was tough at times but it all contributed to my enjoyment of cricket, and I would love my son to share that experience.
Taking on the champions
Australia were chasing their fourth consecutive World Cup title and, remarkably, were meeting us for the first time in the competition since beating us in the 2003 final in South Africa. I remember two things about getting ready for the quarter-final. First, I did not eat non-vegetarian or spicy food after setting foot in Ahmedabad, which was boiling hot. I don’t really know why not. Something inside just seemed to suggest that I should stay away from that kind of food in the heat. I ate a lot of salad and yoghurt and things that I hoped would keep my system cool.
The other thing I remember is that I did not sleep well. This time it was not the mounting tension but my hotel bed that caused the problem. On the eve of the match I even resorted to sleeping on the floor. It was our masseur Amit Shah who pointed out that the problem was with my bed. When he came to give me a head massage to help me sleep, he immediately noticed that it was raised on one side, but unfortunately it was impossible to replace the bed at that late hour!
Playing against Australia is always a high-pressure contest, and a knockout game even more so. Despite a good start by Australia at Ahmedabad on 24 March, our bowlers did well in the powerplay to keep the run rate close to four an over. Eventually, the Australians put 260 on the board, with Ponting making an impressive 104, and we knew it wouldn’t be easy to chase down that total under lights.
Viru and I were aware of the enormity of the occasion as we walked out to deafening applause at the Sardar Patel Stadium. It really was now or never. When Viru got out for 15 trying to pull Shane Watson, caught at midwicket, we had put 44 on the board. Gautam and I added exactly 50 runs before I got out after reaching my half-century. We then lost Gautam and Dhoni in quick succession and Suresh Raina, playing only his second World Cup game, joined Yuvraj in the middle with 74 runs still needed.
At the time, I was lying on the massage table with my eyes closed, with Viru on the other table. I lay there completely still while Amit Shah gave me a neck massage. I was actually praying, asking God to do the best for us. At one point Viru thought I was sleeping and told Amit Shah, ‘Tu apna time waste mat kar, woh so gaya hai. Ja ke match dekh le.’ (Don’t waste your time. He has gone off to sleep, please go and watch the match.) I could hear his every word, but I didn’t want to move or react. Amit was aware that I was awake and said, ‘Woh soya nahi hai, mujhe malum hai!’ (He is not sleeping, I know!)
As Yuvraj and Raina gradually pulled things round I remember hearing my team-mates shout, ‘One more boundary … ah! Two more runs.’ We were getting very close to the semi-final and were about to knock the three-time champions out of the World Cup! And when Yuvi hit the final boundary, the Indian dressing room went mad. It was an unforgettable match.
On our way back to the hotel, it seemed as if the entire city was celebrating – or rather the entire country. When the team bus left the ground at close to midnight, there were still a few thousand fans at the gate waiting to cheer us. People were honking, dancing and waving the tricolour at every roundabout and street corner – and we hadn’t even reached the final yet.
I remember standing on the balcony of my hotel room and watching the celebrations till late at night. I also remember telling Anjali that it was an unbelievable sight and she had to see it to believe it. It emphasized to me yet again how much the World Cup meant to our cricket fans. However, it was only to get bigger with India meeting Pakistan in the semi-final.
Neighbours
Soon after we landed in Mohali and were on our way back to the hotel, I asked my team-mates if any of them had the Amit Kumar song ‘Bade Achhe Lagte Hain’ on their iPods. Finally, it was Mane Kaka, our masseur, who said to me that he had it with him. Mane Kaka has always been an exceptionally affectionate person, constantly doing the best for us without expecting anything in return. I subsequently requested DJ, our computer analyst, to download the song onto my iPod as soon as possible, and it was the only song I listened to for the next seven days.
The match in Mohali on 30 March was always likely to be the most intense of the competition and in fact it turned out to be one of the most pressured games of my career. Playing Pakistan in a World Cup semi-final on Indian soil – it just couldn’t get any bigger. As the two teams practised side by side we could feel the tension. Both teams badly wanted to win this one. Up till then India had an impeccable record against Pakistan in World Cups, and we wanted to keep that record intact.
We got off to a dramatic start in what turned out to be a rollercoaster of a game, thanks to Virender Sehwag taking on Umar Gul. He was the form fast bowler for Pakistan in the tournament and Viru’s assault set us rolling. Viru raced off the blocks and hit Gul for four fours in his second over. Fortunately the Pakistanis dropped me a few times, the chance to midwicket being a relatively simple one, and my innings of 85 proved vital as we lost a few quick wickets in the middle overs, with Wahab Riaz taking five in the match. Riaz bowled Yuvi first ball and the momentum shifted like a pendulum many times in the course of the match. So much so that I had my heart in my mouth on a number of occasions during this nailbiter. Suresh Raina played well for his 36 not out and helped us to 260, exactly the score we had chased down in the quarter-final against Australia. It was a good total but not a clear winning score on a decent pitch.
In their reply, Pakistan also got off to a good start, but just as the pressure was starting to build on us, Zaheer struck. Munaf also got a wicket in the powerplay and then Yuvraj took two quick wickets to put us in control. In the middle of the innings, Umar Akmal was trying to counter-attack but we knew that all it would take was one good delivery. Harbhajan did the job for us by bowling Akmal with the first ball of his second spell. He had decided to come round the wicket and Akmal misjudged the line.
Pakistan still had a chance while Afridi and Misbah were batting, but then Afridi fell to Harbhajan, trying to hit a full toss out of the ground. He would normally have made that shot nine times out of ten but on that night he spooned a simple catch to cover. It was one of those days when things seemed destined to go our way. After dismissing Afridi, we knew we could close out the match. Soon enough Misbah holed out to Virat at long on and we were in the World Cup final. As if that wasn’t enough, I also received the Player of the Match award, the third time I had that honour in a World Cup match against Pakistan.
The celebrations were quite something. We could see thousands of fans waving the tricolour and celebrating in Mohali. Navigating our way back to the hotel was a tricky business, with every corner taken over by delirious fans wanting to relish the moment. My friend Aamir Khan, the actor, came over to my room to offer his congratulations and I remember chatting away into the small hours. It was a night that India could never forget and we, having played a part in it, will never want to forget.
A number of dignitaries had come to Mohali, including our prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. The Pakistani premier, Yousaf Raza Gillani, was also present, but frankly we were not really taking in what was going on beyond the boundary because we were so preoccupied with the job at hand. We were
soon on our way to Mumbai, convinced that we were peaking at the right time.
A city full of expectations
When we arrived in Mumbai for the final against Sri Lanka, the first thing I noticed was the increased police presence. It didn’t feel like the same city. Despite all the extra security, there were fans everywhere waiting to catch a glimpse of the team and wish us well. It was a kind of passion we had not seen before.
On the way from the airport, the police didn’t want to take any chances and escorted our bus to the hotel. On the way, I met Anjali on Mumbai’s Sea Link, the bridge that is now a landmark and has made commuting in the city much easier. (Before, there were times when I was playing a first-class match in Mumbai and I would choose to stay the night at the CCI rather than go to my own home, as it could take an hour and thirty minutes to drive there, which is not what you want after a long day in the field!) I had already informed the security personnel on the team bus that Anjali would be waiting for me and that I would be moving from the team bus to my car. Driving my own car didn’t make the journey to the hotel any quicker, because I was keeping the team bus in my sight. There were people everywhere and I don’t think I went above 40 kph. In fact I remember saying to Anjali that my car must think someone else is driving it at that speed.
While driving to the hotel I was also trying to take stock of the situation. It was hard to imagine I was going to play the World Cup final in front of my home crowd. I couldn’t help thinking back to March 2007 when I had returned to Mumbai after a disastrous World Cup campaign. That year, in hindsight, was a real nightmare. However, 2011 felt different, because we were gradually writing a national fairy tale. I told Anjali that this time there was no turning back.
Playing It My Way: My Autobiography Page 37