Top 5 most iconic India matches at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai ft. 2011 World Cup final

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, one of the most hallowed venues of cricket in India, turned 50 years old on Sunday, January 19. Built in 1974, the stadium was inaugurated a year later when India took on the West Indies in a Test. It took over from the Brabourne Stadium to become the de facto home of the Mumbai (then Bombay) first-class side. It also serves as the BCCI's headquarters.

The stadium, named after former administrator SK Wankhede, was the third Test venue in the cricket-crazy city of Mumbai, after the Bombay Gymkhana and Brabourne. Located near the Marine Drive in the heart of Mumbai, it is one of the most well-photographed and visited places in the country. It has also played host to some of the most exquisite matches in the history of the sport.

In this listicle, we take a look at the top five most iconic matches India have played at the Wankhede:

#5 India vs England, ODI, 2002

India and England played one of the finest matches ever seen at the Wankhede in February 2002. The visitors batted first and were bowled out for 255 in 49.1 overs, with opener Marcus Trescothick top-scoring with 95 and Harbhajan Singh returning with figures of 5-43 in his quota of 10 overs.

In reply, India lost Sachin Tendulkar to swing bowler Darren Gough in the sixth over, but an 80 from Sourav Ganguly kept them in the hunt. Dinesh Mongia (35), Mohammad Kaif (20) and Hemang Badani (27) all got starts but could not convert them into big scores.

In the end, needing 11 runs off the last over, India got to 250 before losing both Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath off successive deliveries, crashing to a five-run defeat. Andrew Flintoff, who bowled the final over for England, turned out to be the hero for them in this nail-biting encounter, with his accurate line and lengths.

#4 India vs Australia, ODI, 2007

India and Australia played out an exciting, low-scoring ODI at the Wankhede in October 2007 in which the hosts beat their visitors by a small margin of two wickets. Australia batted first and were all out for 193 despite Ricky Ponting top-scoring with 57 off 78 balls. Murali Kartik was India's leading wicket-taker with figures of 6-27.

The hosts then lost Sourav Ganguly and Dinesh Karthik for ducks before Sachin Tendulkar (21) and Robin Uthappa (47) steadied the ship. The game went right down to the wire, with Zaheer Khan (31*) and Kartik (21*) steering them home in a rather confident manner despite the Australian bowlers' menacing lines. India eventually romped home with two wickets in hand in 46 overs.

#3 India vs Australia, Test, 1979

One of India's finest Test wins came at the Wankhede in November 1979 when they beat Australia by a whopping margin of an innings and 100 runs, which was almost unheard of in those days. The hosts batted first and put up a gigantic total of 458-8 declared, thanks largely to their opener and captain Sunil Gavaskar's 123.

Wicketkeeper-batter Syed Kirmani's 101 not out, Karsan Ghavri's 86 and opener Chetan Chauhan's 73 also helped India a great deal. In reply, Australia were bowled out for just 163 in 61.5 overs, with Dilip Doshi (5-43) and Shivlal Yadav (4-40) wreaking havoc. Asked to follow on, Australia fared just a little better and were bowled out for 198, handing India a massive victory.

#2 India vs Australia, Test, 2004

The fourth Test of the 2004 Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia at the Wankhede remains one of the best matches ever played in the history of the sport, as well as at this venue. India, batting first, were bowled out for a measly 104 with Jason Gillespie running riot with figures of 4-29.

Australia, in response, fared just a little better, and ended with a lead of 99 runs; they got all out for 203. Anil Kumble (5-90) and Murali Kartik (4-44) were the destroyers-in-chief for India. The hosts, helped by half-centuries from VVS Laxman (69) and Sachin Tendulkar (56), got to 205 before being all out. Michael Clarke, in his debut series, picked up 6-9 with his handy left-arm orthodox spin.

The Kangaroos, set an easy target of 107 runs, then imploded in spectacular fashion, and were bowled out for just 93 runs on the board. Burly opener Matthew Hayden top-scored for them with 24 while their old tormentor Harbhajan Singh ran away with figures of 5-29, handing India a 13-run victory. The Aussies, however, won the series 2-1.

#1 India vs Sri Lanka, 2011 World Cup final

There is no doubt at all that the greatest match ever played at the Wankhede is the 2011 ODI World Cup final in which India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets. Sri Lanka batted first and put up a par total of 274-6 on the board thanks to a stellar ton from their star batter Mahela Jayawardene (103.) Skipper Kumar Sangakkara too chipped in with 48.

In response, India lost their ace opener Virender Sehwag off just the second ball of the innings, leg before wicket to Lasith Malinga. However, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir (who came in at number 3 and scored 97), stitched together a small partnership before the former departed. Virat Kohli then chipped in with a handy 35.

Kohli soon got out and that is when skipper MS Dhoni played the masterstroke of promoting himself up the order at number five and belted an unbelievable 91 not out off just 79 deliveries. Dhoni stayed unbeaten till the end and etched his name in history by hitting the winning six off Nuwan Kulasekara, creating one of the most lasting images of the sport as a whole.