2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

Hosts and venues

The three co‑hosts staged matches at major cricket grounds across their countries, including high‑profile venues in cities such as Mumbai and Kolkata in India, Colombo and other venues in Sri Lanka, and Dhaka in Bangladesh. The tournament marked Bangladesh’s first time hosting World Cup matches. The opening game was played on 19 February 2011 between India and Bangladesh at the Sher‑e‑Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. For official information and archival material see the tournament overview: tournament overview and host pages for India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Format and qualification

Fourteen teams entered the tournament: the ten full members of the International Cricket Council and four associate members who qualified through regional and global qualifying events. The teams were divided into two groups of seven; each team played every other team in its group once. The top four teams from each group advanced to the quarter‑finals, followed by semi‑finals and the final. All fixtures carried official ODI status; match playing conditions followed the standard 50‑over regulations published by the ICC: playing conditions.

Tournament progression and key matches

The group stage produced a mix of expected results and notable upsets, with several matches attracting large crowds and widespread media attention. The knockout rounds intensified competition as established cricketing nations and emerging teams vied for spots in the semifinals and final. Match reports, scorecards and national archives provide detailed accounts of individual fixtures and performances: India match archives, Bangladesh match archives and Sri Lanka match archives.

The final

The final was held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where India faced Sri Lanka. India won the match by six wickets, becoming the first team to win a Cricket World Cup on home soil. The chase featured important contributions from Indian batters, with the captain playing a decisive role late in the innings by finishing the match with a memorable boundary. The victory was celebrated widely across the host nations and among fans of the winning team.

Notable performances and awards

Throughout the tournament several players produced match‑winning performances with both bat and ball. India’s Yuvraj Singh was named Player of the Tournament in recognition of consistent contributions across multiple matches. Many players from different countries recorded innings and bowling spells that were highlighted in contemporary coverage and statistics summaries.

Officials, broadcasting and attendance

Matches were officiated by panels of international umpires appointed by the governing body, and the tournament received extensive broadcast coverage across many countries. Large attendances at several venues underlined the popularity of the event in the co‑hosting nations and contributed to its commercial and cultural impact.

Legacy and significance

The 2011 World Cup reinforced Asia’s central role in international cricket and helped raise the profile of the sport in Bangladesh through hosting duties. It also provided a record of memorable sporting moments and contributed to the historical statistics and archives maintained by national boards and the ICC. For further study, consult official tournament pages and national cricket board archives linked above.

Further reading

• Official tournament overview: tournament overview
• Host country information: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
• Match playing conditions and regulations: playing conditions
• National archives and match reports: India archives, Bangladesh archives, Sri Lanka archives