Eight iconic images that defined cricket in India

#7 Mahendra Singh Dhoni hitting the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final at Wankhede

Dhoni hitting the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final at Mumbai

“Dhoniiiiiiiiiii...finishes off in style…a magnificent strike into the crowd…India lift the World Cup after 28 years…the party starts in the dressing room…and it’s the Indian captain who has been absolutely magnificent on the night of the final.”

These were the words of commentator Ravi Shastri after Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had hit the winning six off Nuwan Kulasekara’s bowling.

And not just that six, Dhoni had been brilliant throughout the night of the final. For the record, he scored 91 with the help of two sixes. Along with Gautam Gambhir (who scored 97 runs), Dhoni was instrumental in India’s successful chase of 278.

The 2011 World Cup gave Indian fans many moments to cherish. Sachin Tendulkar’s tremendous form throughout the tournament, Yuvraj Singh’s all-round performance and Zaheer Khan’s 21 wickets were a few highlights. But one image from the World Cup stands out – Dhoni’s last six.

There was style and charisma written all over that shot. The shot portrayed the confidence of a captain who had promoted himself up the order ahead of an in-form Yuvraj.