Four years later, Gambhir smashed 97 against Sri Lanka to help Dhoni and Co. end India’s long wait for a World Cup title in 2011. The former India opener was also a success story in the Indian Premier League (IPL), masterminding the first two title triumphs of Shah Rukh Khan’s co-owned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2012 and 2014. Did you know? Gambhir was 11 when he vowed to win the World Cup for India.

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‘I cried the entire night. I have never cried like that before…’

Speaking to Sportskeeda, the KKR mentor revealed that it was India’s World Cup game against Australia which made him weep the entire night. “After seeing a match, I wanted to win the World Cup for India. I remember the 1992 India-Australia World Cup game in Brisbane, which India lost by one run, and I actually remember that I cried the entire night. I have never cried like that before or after that, and I don’t know why,” Gambhir recalled.

What happened in final-over thriller between India and Australia

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar perished for 11 off 19 balls while skipper Mohammad Azharuddin (93) played a valiant knock to keep India in the hunt against Australia in the 1992 World Cup encounter. India needed five off four to beat the mighty Australian side. However, India’s Venkatapathy Raju was run out in the final over of the rain-interrupted encounter. Breaking several Indian hearts, Australia recorded a stunning one-run win to upstage India.

‘I was able to fulfil that dream in 2011’

“I was an 11-year-old at that time. I cried the entire night and said that I wanted to win the World Cup for India. I said that in 1992 and I was able to fulfil that dream in 2011. I would have felt unhappy before or after that match but I didn’t used to cry like that. I remember Venkatapathy Raju getting run out and India lost by one run. The match used to come early in the morning, so I used to watch that game after waking up at five in the morning, but I was never as sad before or after that game,” Gambhir added.