Cricket's new home!

The recently concluded World Cup might have thrown open a new world order not just by the way of clout but by the way of a successor—an apt torch-bearer to the all-conquering Australians. As we bid adieu to Gary Kirsten as India’s coach and embrace on the next assignment in front of the fans— the Indian Premier League-4, let us look back at the moments that made the Cup that meant the World to India. The top-five performances are listed below:

Dhoni dazzles at the final: There is a cliched saying in sport. Records are meant to be broken. As Dhoni strode to the middle to play THE knock of his life, history books were about to re-written. With Sehwag and Sachin back in the shade, Dhoni’s men had received double blow. But Dhoni, who promoted himself ahead of the in-form Yuvraj, decided to bat his way out of an indifferent form and how. For the fans, it was a double delight as their skipper was back in full flow and all-famous Dhoni swagger was for all to see. His 91 invaluable runs coming off just 79 balls helped his side reclaim the Cup after 28 years.

Jaya Ho! Mahela hits ton in the final: They say big-match players come to the party during the business end of the tournament and Mahela indeed came toone. He matched his good stroke-play with some efficient running between and his 103 off 88 was a gem. But alas! It came in a losing cause.

Kevin spoils English party: Am honest out here. I did watch the match till the 30^th over of the Irish innings and boy, did I miss out. Chasing a 300-plus total against a strong side and with half your side down for just about 110 odd is not a place to be in. But Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien had other ideas. His 63-ball carnage left the Englishmen shattered and completely at loss for words. It is such a pity that they may not feature in the next edition of the World Cup as the Irish certainly gave many teams a run for their money.

Wahab’s career-best: It was bigger than the final and rightly so. The tall left-armer Wahab Riaz may not be as express as his predecessor Wasim Akram but has the knack of bowling at the right areas. His 5 for 46 against India in a World Cup semifinal is the highlight of his career. While he dismissed dangerman Sehwag after his cameo, he also got rid of Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh in quick succession. He came in the slog overs to complete his maiden five-wicket haul.

Yuvraj Singh’s classy 57 in the quarterfinals: He has undoubtedly been the star of the show. From being a player who wanted to quit the sport last year to being crowned the player of the World Cup, speaks volumes of the effort put in by the southpaw in his game. The quarterfinal clash against Australia in Ahmedabad brought out the best in him yet again. Prior to the encounter, Ricky Ponting singled him out as a weak link but Punter had to eat his words. His 57 crucial runs off 65 deliveries helped India reach home without too much fuss, but , more importantly, it brought an end to the Australian juggernaut that has won the previous three editions of the Cup.