• Source:JND
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The legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has given two reasons as to why Team India's head coach, Gary Kirsten, decided to promote ex-India skipper MS Dhoni before Yuvraj Singh during the 2011 World Cup semi-final clash against Sri Lanka and how that decision worked in their favour. Tendulkar opened up in an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit, and a fan enquired why he told Kirsten to promote Dhoni up the order.

While chasing a target of 275 runs in Mumbai, the hosts were tottering at 114/3 after youngster Virat Kohli got out for just 35 runs, and that's when Dhoni came into bat at the No.5 position, before Yuvraj.

“There were 2 reasons. The left-right batting combination would have upset the two off-spinners; also, Muralitharan had played for CSK (from 2008-2010) and MS had played with him for 3 seasons in the nets," Tendulkar said.

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Dhoni had stitched a match-winning partnership with Gautam Gambhir, who had scored an unbeaten knock of 91 runs off 79 balls, which included eight fours and two sixes, and helped the team win the match by six wickets.

Tendulkar further said that including a left-right hand combination would have given the two main off-spinners, Muralitharan and Suraj Randiv, a hard time.

Tendulkar's vast experience did wonders for the host as the MS Dhoni-led side clinched the title after 28 years, and Tendulkar, who had played in his last ODI World Cup, had fulfilled his dreams of winning the title during his sixth attempt.

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What happened in the 2011 World Cup Final?

While batting first, the visitors had posted a respectable target of 274 runs, on the back of Mahela Jayawardene's brilliant hundred. While chasing, the Men in Blue suffered early blows as they lost opener Virender Sehwag on the second ball itself and then Tendulkar and Gambhir stitched a partnership of 31 runs for the second wicket.

Lasith Malinga had taken Tendulkar's wicket, and then Gambhir and Kohli built a partnership of 83 runs for the third wicket, but then Tillakaratne had dismissed Kohli.

Gambhir and Dhoni then stitched the match-winning partnership of 109 runs for the fourth wicket, and then Thisara Perera took Gambhir's wicket.

Dhoni and Yuvraj then built a partnership of 54 runs for the fifth wicket and took the team across the line.