02 April,2021 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
Liaison officer Nitin Dalal (right) with Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar after the WC triumph
There was one person in the Sri Lankan dressing room, who despite helping Kumar Sangakkara's team, wanted India to win the coveted World Cup - Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) ex-managing committee member, Shrikant Tigdi, the liaison officer for the visiting team.
"Even though I was performing my duties for the Sri Lankan team during the final, I was with the Indian team mentally. When India lost three early wickets, I left my seat in the dressing room and stood in a passage. I did not watch the game for 15 to 20 minutes. I was actually praying for Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni to build a strong partnership, which they eventually did [109 runs in 120 balls]," Tigdi told mid-day on the eve of the 10th anniversary of India's World Cup win.
After restricting SL to 274-6, the hosts crossed the target in the 49th over, thanks to Gambhir (97) and Dhoni's (91 not out). "In the first 10 overs, SL may have thought the World Cup was theirs. But the way Gambhir and Dhoni chased the target, the opposition went on the back foot with every passing over," recalled Tigdi.
Meanwhile, MCA's managing committee member Nitin Dalal was assisting the Indian team in the adjoining dressing room. "Being in the dressing room thrice for Mumbai Ranji Trophy-winning triumphs, I knew the khadoos [determined] attitude Mumbai had. But, being in the Indian team's dressing room during that final, I saw the kind of never-give-up approach and positivity our national team were playing with. Hats off to them. It was my lifetime moment and I was lucky to be there with the world champions," Dalal remarked.
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"Virat Kohli's [35] departure caused some tension in the dressing room. They were saying that Gambhir [batting on 54 then] should bat till the last over. Virat was extremely upset with the way he lost his wicket. He did not remove his pads till we won. Till Dhoni hit that shot for the winning six, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were seated inside the dressing room.
The rest of us were in the gallery outside the dressing room. There may have been a superstitious ring to that," said Dalal.
