April 2, 2011, will forever be etched in golden letters in Indian cricket. On this day, 14 years ago, India won the ODI World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the grand finale at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. MS Dhoni became only the second Indian captain, after Kapil Dev, to lift the coveted trophy.
Sri Lanka, opting to bat first, posted a competitive total of 274/6. Mahela Jayawardene was their standout performer, scoring an unbeaten 103 off 88 balls, including 13 fours. Thisara Perera’s quick-fire 22 off 9 balls added late momentum to their innings. Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh took two wickets each for India.
In response, India faced early setbacks as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were dismissed cheaply. However, Gautam Gambhir steadied the ship with a crucial 97-run knock before being bowled out by Perera. MS Dhoni remained unbeaten on 91 off 79 balls, guiding India to victory with 10 balls to spare.
India were a force to reckon with throughout the World Cup. MS Dhoni’s men became the first team to win the coveted title at home, setting a trend that continued for the next two editions.
Fourteen years have passed since that triumph in Mumbai, and the members of the Indian playing XI have moved on. Here’s where they are now.
Virender Sehwag
Known as the Nawab of Najafgarh, Virender Sehwag last played for India in 2013. He is now a popular Hindi commentator and sports media expert.
Sachin Tendulkar
The icon of Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Sachin Tendulkar, has also participated in tournaments for former cricketers. He recently played in the International Masters League 2025, where India Masters emerged as champions.
Gautam Gambhir
Currently, the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, Gautam Gambhir was also the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024.
Virat Kohli
The only active international cricketer from the 2011 World Cup-winning squad, Virat Kohli, 36, continues to perform at the highest level for both India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
MS Dhoni
Turning 44 in July, MS Dhoni has exclusively played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL since the 2019 World Cup semi-final. He retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, but has continued to play in the IPL. Dhoni is now the oldest cricketer in IPL 2025.
Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh retired from international cricket in 2019 but has since played in foreign T20 leagues like GT20 Canada. He also mentors young cricketers, including Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.
Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina works as a Hindi commentator for IPL 2025. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in September 2022.
Harbhajan Singh
A Hindi commentator like Raina, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh remains active on social media. The off-spinner played in the IPL and went on to become one of the most decorated cricketer with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super KIngs.
Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. He has held various roles at Mumbai Indians as well. Zaheer was in talks to take over as India’s bowling coach during Ravi Shastri’s tenure as head coach of the senior national team.
Munaf Patel
Currently, the bowling coach for Delhi Capitals in the IPL, Munaf Patel recently played for India Legends in the International Masters League in Raipur.
Sreesanth
Sreesanth now works as a cricket expert, sharing his insights on teams and players during the IPL. The fast bowler from Kerala has seen ups and downs in his career, but is now one of the finest pundits going around. He was cleared of wrongdoing after accusations of involvement in IPL spot-fixing scandal in 2012.
