2011
India star at their own party
In the build-up to the tournament, there was a subcontinent-wide effort to inflate the status of the World Cup with events like this one in Hyderabad.•AFP
The 14 captains lined up for a photograph at the start of the tournament, but what was Netherlands' Bas Zuiderent doing there in place of Peter Borren?•AFP
The first match was all about Virender Sehwag; he was in blazing form all the way from the first ball, which he smacked for four.•Associated Press
Policemen were aggressive while trying to control fans queuing for tickets outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of the India-England game.•AFP
Shane Warne proved he still had some magic in those fingers. Before the India-England game he tweeted the match would be a tie; and the teams obliged.•Associated Press
The starman: Shahid Afridi's new wicket celebration became one of the lasting images of the tournament, particularly because it was brought out several times.•Getty Images
If Afridi's starman was emphatic, then Trent Johnston's chicken dance was downright cheeky. Then again, one can be driven to fits of arm-flapping when you've just dismissed Virender Sehwag.•Getty Images
It was the birthday present of a lifetime. Ross Taylor was given two reprieves by Kamran Akmal, and then smashed 62 runs off the last 16 balls he faced in an unbeaten 131 against Pakistan.•AFP
India v South Africa in Nagpur was a cracker, and it went down to the last over, with the visitors edging home thanks to a Robin Peterson cameo.•Associated Press
Nathan McCullum took the catch of the tournament, against Sri Lanka - except, the third umpire decided it wasn't a catch.•Getty Images
Kenya lost all six of their matches in Group A, but they had some good times. Vusi Sibanda's run-out was a spectacle, with the whole team gathering around to watch Collins Obuya whip off the bails.•AFP
Yuvraj Singh came into the tournament after a poor 2010 and notched up four Man-of-the-Match awards. At the other end during his match-winning fifty in the quarter-final, against Australia, was Suresh Raina, who didn't even have a place in the XI at the start of the tournament.•AFP
If there were any fears that the other semi-final would be dwarfed by the India-Pakistan clash, they were assuaged by one fact: it was Muttiah Muralitharan's last international in Sri Lanka. He struck with his final ball and Sri Lanka won.•AFP
Across India, fans flooded the streets to celebrate the victory.•Associated Press
India began tournament favourites and ended worthy champions, having beaten all the previous World Cup winners - West Indies, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - en route.•Associated Press
Advertisers jumped on the bandwagon, but at times it was difficult to tell if they were trying to lure people in or scare them away•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Ah, that explains it then.•AFP
By then, World Cup mania had reached uncharted territory.•AFP
In their tense win against Ireland, Bangladesh celebrated every wicket as though they had already won the tournament.•Associated Press
Netherlands' tournament had steadily declined since the England game, but this was a bit of an overreaction.•AFP
In a match hyped as Bangladesh's best chance to beat a Test team in their group, they were bowled out for 58 by West Indies in Mirpur. The empty stands by the end of the game were a precursor to worse scenes in Dhaka.•Getty Images
Shoaib Akhtar managed to stay fit through the group stage, apart from the slight problem of losing his head.•AFP
Zimbabwe were disappointing, but Brendan Taylor's upper cut became a symbol of innovation in modern batting.•Associated Press
A 19-year-old from Canada facing a 148.5kph thunderbolt from Shaun Tait. There's only one way that could go. But Hiral Patel was in inspired form in Bangalore. He rocked on to the back foot and clubbed the delivery over cover for six. It was one of the shots of the tournament.•Associated Press
He might have over 1300 international wickets, but Muttiah Muralitharan never stopped celebrating. He was like a jack-in-the-box during his four-wicket haul against New Zealand.•Getty Images
The anticipation of Tendulkar's 100th hundred had reached fever pitch but he walked against West Indies before the umpire gave him out.•AFP
South Africa were 108 for 2 chasing 222, on course to win their first knockout match in a World Cup when a spectacular catch from Jacob Oram changed all that, setting in motion one of the most remarkable comebacks in World Cup history.•Getty Images
Cricket diplomacy, they called it. India's and Pakistan's prime ministers sat side by side during the second semi-final, and were possibly the only two people who seemed unflustered by the occasion.•AFP
Mahela Jayawardene set the final alight with a sensational hundred dripping with elegance, and led Sri Lanka to 274 in Mumbai.•AFP
Muttiah Muralitharan ended his glittering career in Mumbai. He unfortunately went wicketless in the World Cup final•Getty Images
The opening ceremony in Mirpur was as colourful as the rest of England's tournament was fated to be.•AFP
Netherlands gave England a scare in Nagpur, losing a high-scoring contest in the penultimate over.•Getty Images
Through the tournament Sachin Tendulkar made runs, scored centuries, and kept everyone on edge about when the next big milestone - the 100th century - would arrive.•Getty Images
With the Associates being criticised, and England having battered Ireland for the majority of the game, Kevin O'Brien played one of the great ODI innings. His 50-ball century gave Ireland the unlikeliest of wins, and green was the new colour of the World Cup.•Getty Images
The crowds in Sri Lanka were festive through the tournament, and the fans sported hairstyles that made Lasith Malinga's look like an army cut.•AFP
Some people said Pakistan fans had lost faith in the team after recent controversies. This guy obviously hadn't heard of them.•AFP
Bangladesh's loss to West Indies was followed by a comeback victory against England to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.•Getty Images
England were on the brink of elimination from Group B but they took four wickets in 20 balls and toppled West Indies in Chennai.•Getty Images
For the first time in their history Bangladesh were expected to make the knockout stages. But a dramatic campaign ended in anticlimax when South Africa skittled them for 78.•Associated Press
Pakistan's ten-wicket thrashing of West Indies in the quarter-final coincided with Pakistan Day; and the celebrations back home carried on well into the night.•AFP
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sri Lanka brought England's roller-coaster World Cup to an abrupt halt. Dilshan's knock was ruthless, and he managed to embarrass England's bowlers without once resorting to his trademark Dilscoop.•Getty Images
The match lived up to the hype. It was tense throughout, with India holding their nerve to reach the final.•AFP
The end: MS Dhoni's six to win the World Cup was the culmination of an extraordinary captain's innings.•Getty Images
"Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It is time we carried him on our shoulders," said Virat Kohli.•AFP
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