Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede cricket stadium celebrated its golden jubilee in grand style on Sunday night (January 19) with a vibrant function that included music, dancing and a stunning laser show, and it was certainly a forgettable evening for fans. assistants.
The incredible 50 years of the Wankhede Stadium was celebrated by over 60 Mumbai international cricketers, both men and women, as the iconic legends joined hands with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to mark this historic occasion on Sunday (19 January) in a big way.
Highlights of the Wankhede Stadium’s golden jubilee included the unveiling of a commemorative stamp and felicitation of Mumbai Indian cricket captains – Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Diana Edulji.
Sunil Gavaskar dances to “Om Shanti Om” on the 50th anniversary of Wankhede Stadium
Apart from these cultural moments and festivals that showcased Marathi culture, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar’s dance performance was one of the highlights of the event in Mumbai. Gavaskar delighted the audience by dancing to the title song of Shah Rukh Khan’s Bollywood hit “Om Shanti Om” after the host asked him to join in.
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Even Diana Edulji also joined the legendary Indian batsman as the duo set the stage on fire with their moves. Sunil Gavaskar enthusiastically enjoyed the song “Om Shanti Om” and even showed his singing talent by humming this song at the request of the host. Sachin Tendulkar also sang the song “Om Shanti Om” in the viral video shared by MCA.
Look here:
Cricket deewangi in Wankhede 😍
PS: Don’t miss Sunny G’s apratim dance show! 👌#Wankhede50 | #MCA | #Bombay | #Cricket pic.twitter.com/t5DllZ9uEC
— Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) (@MumbaiCricAssoc) January 19, 2025
Sunil Gavaskar singing and dancing the famous song “Om Shanti Om” ❤️
– A beautiful video…!!!! pic.twitter.com/sYWgbReN1Q
—Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 20, 2025
It felt like Mumbai cricket stadium: Sunil Gavaskar
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar said the Wankhede Stadium is very special to his heart as the legendary batsman spoke about how it was ‘love at first sight’. Gavaskar said at the event quoted by Times of India: “When the Wankhede stadium was built in 1974, our dressing room was downstairs. When we first stepped on the ground for a practice session, it was love at first sight.”
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The former Indian captain added: “Before that, we were playing at the Brabourne Stadium, which belonged to a club (Cricket Club of India). But coming here, I felt like it was the stadium of Mumbai cricket. The feeling is always different when you have your own land. I still get that feeling every time I come to make comments. It feels like home and it is truly a wonderful feeling. My chest swells with pride.”
Historic moments at Wankhede stadium in brief
Apart from the Mumbai cricketers, the Wankhede Stadium also holds a special place in the hearts of cricket fans as it hosted the celebrations of India’s first T20 World Cup victory under the leadership of MS Dhoni in 2007 and also witnessed the legendary victory in the 2011 World Cup, where The legendary wicketkeeper-batsman sealed the victory with a memorable six against Sri Lanka.
More recently, the stadium honored the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team for their T20 World Cup triumph in 2024. Notably, the Wankhede was inaugurated in January 1975 during the fifth and final Test of the series against the West Indies. . The stadium has also hosted 63 international matches so far, including 27 Tests, 28 ODIs and eight T20Is, along with numerous domestic matches and Indian Premier League (IPL) clashes.