Remember the win of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and who can forget the team celebrations after the victory. Sachin Tendulkar was lifted on the shoulders of his teammates at home and this was voted the best Laureus Sporting Moment in the past 2 decades.
With the backing of the cricket fans from all around the world and especially from India, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar received the most votes and emerged victorious on Monday in Berlin, Germany.
Sachin Tendulkar, who was participating in his 6th and the final World Cup competition finally made his dream a reality as India won the 2011 Cricket World Cup which was played in India. The then Indian skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, hit the ball right into the stands for a six off of Nuwan Kulasekara, Sri Lankan bowler.
The whole Indian squad ran into the cricket ground and lifted Tendulkar on their shoulders and completed a lap of the ground in honour of the achievement for Sachin.
The ex-Captain of Australian Men’s Cricket team, Steve Waugh presented the award to Tendulkar at the ceremony hosted in Berlin, Germany after Bros Becker, the great tennis player announced the winner of Laureus Sporting Moment 2000-2020 award.
After receiving the award, Tendulkar said, “It’s incredible. The feeling of winning the world cup was beyond what words can express. How many times you get an event happening where there are no mixed opinions. Very rarely the entire country celebrates”.
Tendulkar continued by saying, “And this is a reminder of how powerful a sport is and what magic it does to our lives. Even now when I watch that it has stayed with me”.
Becker requested the master blaster to share the emotions that went through him at the time India won the 2011 World Cup at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Maharashtra, to which Tendulkar said “My journey started in 1983 when I was 10 years old. India had won the World Cup. I did not understand the significance and just because everybody was celebrating, I also joined the party”.
He added, “But somewhere I knew something special has happened to the country and I wanted to experience it one day and that’s how my journey began”, continuing “It was the proudest moment of my life, holding that trophy which I chased for 22 years but I never lost hope. I was merely lifting that trophy on behalf of my countrymen”.
Tendulkar, 46, is still the highest run scorer in the world of Cricket.
As he held the trophy, Tendulkar said that holding the Laureus trophy in his hands gives in immense honour. He recalled the instance when he met the South African revolutionary, Nelson Mandela, and what impact he had on him at the age of 19, he said, “His hardship did not affect his leadership. Out of many messages he left, the most important I felt was that sport has got the power to unite everyone.”
Tendulkar added, “Today sitting in this room with so many athletes, some of them did not have everything but they made the best of everything they had. I thank them for inspiring youngsters to pick a sport of their choice and chase their dreams. This trophy belongs to all of us, it’s not just about me.”
