Pre-tournament favourites India spectacularly broke the jinx of the nation hosting the final of the World Cup not clinching cricket’s most treasured prize in earlier editions.

When Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men crossed the finishing line after overhauling the stiff target of 275 set by Sri Lanka, it was the first—time ever in the tournament’s history that the nation hosting the grand finale had come out trumps.

England had hosted the tournament on four occasions (1975—1983 and 1999) without tasting success even once.

India held the final of the 1987 tournament, joint co—hosts being Pakistan, and Allan Border’s Australians fought Mike Gatting’s England at the Eden Gardens successfully to snatch away the prize for the first time.

Five years later, Australia hosted the final (the tournament’s joint co—hosts being New Zealand), and it was the turn of the Imran Khan—led Pakistan to win.

In 1996 though ultimate winners Lanka were the co—hosts of the tournament with India and Pakistan, the final was held at Lahore.

After the 1999 tournament won by Australia in England, Ricky Ponting—led the Aussies to back—to—back title triumphs in 2003 (South Africa hosting the final) and in 2007 (hosted by the West Indies).

Egged on by the capacity crowd of 33,000, India created history as hosts of the summit clash by denying tournament co—hosts Lanka the Cup as well as the top prize of $3 million. The Emerald Islanders pocketed $1.5 million.

The triumph also placed India alongside the West Indies and Australia as the teams to have won the coveted title on more than one occasion.

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