5 instances when out-of-form players turned the tides in a final

#1 MS Dhoni, 91* vs Sri Lanka, ICC World Cup 2011 Final

MS Dhoni played a Captain's knock of 91*

This knock shall be etched in the memories of Indian fans forever. This tournament was an emotional rollercoaster throughout, as it was being held in the subcontinent after a span of 15 years, and was supposed to be the last World Cup of Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar.

There was immense pressure on India to go all the way. The fact that no team had previously won the Cup on its home soil added more pressure.

The Indian team had been in sublime form, with most of the areas covered and the players perfectly complementing each other.

Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan had been some of the riding forces who had powered the team to the finals.

The tactical brilliance of MS Dhoni had been instrumental in the tournament, especially in the knockout games.

However, the wicket-keeper batsman was having a quiet World Cup with the bat. Dhoni scored just 150 runs in his seven innings, at an underwhelming average of 25. These figures were far from his destructive abilities with the willow.

However, Dhoni seemed to have saved his best for the last. India had to chase the highest score in a World Cup Final, after Sri Lanka put 274/6 on the board. India made a dismal start to the innings, losing both the openers inside 7 overs.

Known for his unorthodox thinking, Dhoni came in to bat at five ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh.

This ensured a left-right batting combination for India. Dhoni added 109 runs for the fifth wicket with Gautam Gambhir.

He paced his innings judiciously bringing up his 50 in 52 balls. After that, he just did what he is best known for - sending the ball out of the park, as he brought up his next 41 runs in just 17 balls, making 36 of those in boundaries.

Dhoni stayed till the end and finished the innings with a six, a shot that has become the heart-throb of cricket fans across the globe. He played a Captain's knock, as he ended the 28-year World Cup drought for the subcontinental juggernauts, that too, at their home soil.

Dhoni was adjudged the Man of the Match for his crucial knock under pressure, as he became the third captain after Clive Lloyd and Ricky Ponting to win this award.

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Which of these knocks are in your favourites list? Sound off your opinions in the comments sections below!