Australia are the side to beat in World Cups, having won the tournament a record five times, but it's never an easy task to do that. Since 1992, Australia had played four finals and won three consecutive titles (1999, 2003, 2007). 2011 was a different affair though, courtesy a gem of an innings by Yuvraj Singh.
Both Australia and India came into the game with four wins from their six group stage matches. It was the second quarterfinals with the winner of the match to meet Pakistan in the semi-finals. Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who was playing his last World Cup, won the toss and chose to bat on a turning wicket in Ahmedabad.
The move paid off with opener Brad Haddin getting a fifty and Ricky Ponting showing his class en route to a century. Australia were well set at 140/2 before Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh pulled India back with double strikes each.
Ponting was the last to go playing a reverse shot off Ravi Ashwin to Zaheer at short third man. He scored 104 off 118 balls with seven fours and a six. David Hussey provided the late flourish to Australia as they reached a competitive 260/6.
Yuvraj was the pick of the bowlers having delivered an economical spell of 2/44 in 10 overs. Zaheer and Ashwin also chipped in with two wickets apiece.
As the chase began in the pressure game, Sehwag was out early before Sachin Tendulkar showed his
excellence in scoring a crucial 68-ball 53. Gautam Gambhir played the supporting role well putting on 50 runs with Tendulkar for the second wicket and 49 for the third wicket with a young Virat Kohli.
Then came Yuvraj Singh to play one of the most important knocks of his illustrious career. Soon after, India were in trouble after losing the wickets of Gambhir and MS Dhoni.
Needing 74 runs off 75 deliveries, Yuvraj was joined by Suresh Raina and the pair were India's last recognized batsmen. What unfolded after that was sheer brilliance, with Yuvraj hitting paceman Shaun Tait over point for a one-bounce four.
Raina also chipped in hitting Brett Lee to the fence in an over that cost Australia 14 runs. In the same over, Yuvraj played a magnificent shot, carving a yorker for a boundary through third-man. He finished it off with a punch over cover point for four.
The over brought India back into the game as the pair continued the onslaught reducing the required run-rate. Yuvraj finished off the game in style, ending Australia's reign by whipping a Brett Lee delivery for the winning runs through the covers. Yuvraj sank to the turf, arms in the air, waving his bat to the crowd.
India won the match with 14 balls to spare and five wickets in hand. Yuvraj won his fourth Man of the Match of the tournament for his heroics. Yuvraj's all-important 57 off 65 deliveries saw him strike eight fours while Raina finished with a quickfire 34 off 28 balls.
India went on to defeat Pakistan in the semis, eventually lifting the World Cup title after a 28-year-wait at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.