After a 28-year absence, the MS Dhoni Men in Blue made history in 2011 as they overcame Sri Lanka to win their second World Cup championship. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has chosen to honor the legendary cricketer by giving one of the seats at the Wankhede Stadium his name. The former Indian captain is one of the most successful captains in the history of the sport.
Indian supporters still vividly recall the triumphant moment more than 12 years after India won their second 50-over World Cup. When captain MS Dhoni used his signature helicopter shot to launch Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Kulasekara for a maximum, the nation roared in celebration. A permanent seat where the ball landed will be named after Dhoni, MCA president Amol Kale announced following the 12-year anniversary of India’s victory.
“Today (Monday), the MCA decided to name a seat inside the stadium in honor of MS Dhoni.
The location will be where his game-winning six against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final landed. We will ask MS Dhoni to attend the opening ceremony at the stadium, where he will also receive a gift, Kale told The Indian Express.
For the first time ever in this cricket-mad country, a seat will be named after an Indian cricketer.
On April 8, when the CSK captain’s team travels to the Wankhede to play the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians, the memorial is scheduled to be officially opened. For those who are unaware, MCA Apex Council member Ajinkya Naik first offered the proposal in 2020, but the council rejected it at the time.
This will be the first seat to be named after a cricketer in India, despite the fact that many stands have been named after Indian players across the nation. Nonetheless, it has been done so numerous times in other nations; Grant Elliot, a former Kiwi all-rounder, is one of the most well-known individuals to have been honored in this manner. As Elliot’s six against South Africa guaranteed New Zealand their first-ever participation in the World Cup final in 2015, a seat at Auckland’s Eden Park was christened in his honor.
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