<P> Both of India's knockout matches were high - pressure contests . Australia was a strong team and defending champion, and India had to give a very good performance to restrict Australia to 260 and then successfully chase down the target even as wickets fell regularly . Pakistan and India have historically been rivals, and there was immense public pressure on both teams . The match was attended by the Prime Ministers of both India and Pakistan . India batted first and ultimately defeated Pakistan by 29 runs . </P> <P> India largely retained the same team it had in the semi-final against Pakistan, with just one change . Ashish Nehra, left - arm medium pacer, had suffered a finger fracture while fielding in that match, and he was replaced by another pacer, Sreesanth . India was widely rated as having the strongest batting line - up in the tournament, and chose to back this strength throughout the campaign by playing seven batsmen and four bowlers . Due to Yuvraj Singh performing well with both bat and ball in the tournament, India could afford to play with only four specialist bowlers . Yuvraj bowled his full quota of 10 overs in many matches, including the semi-final against Pakistan . Among the four bowling slots, Zaheer Khan was the pace spearhead supported in most matches by Munaf Patel, while Harbhajan Singh was the regular off - spinner . The fourth slot was taken by different bowlers in different matches, including Sreesanth, Nehra, leg - spinner Piyush Chawla, or off - spinner Ravichandran Ashwin . The captain had chosen Nehra over Ashwin in the match against Pakistan also . Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had then said he preferred having three seamers (a synonym for a fast bowler) because it gave him more options . He already had proven spinners in Harbhajan and Yuvraj, and could call upon many other Indian players who can bowl part - time spin (including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, and Virender Sehwag). </P> <P> Sri Lanka made four changes to their side from the semi-final . All - rounder Angelo Mathews had suffered a torn quadriceps and could not play . Sri Lanka knew the Indians' strength was batting, and thus they needed to take wickets to put them under pressure . This led to their choosing a full complement of bowlers . Spin bowler Ajantha Mendis had performed well throughout the tournament, but he had a poor record against India in pre-World Cup clashes and was not chosen for the final . Spinner Rangana Herath was also dropped . Off - spinner Suraj Randiv and batsman Chamara Kapugedera were flown in from Sri Lanka to strengthen the side . Seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera, who had played matches in the earlier group stage, were drafted into the team . Legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was carrying minor injuries, but was retained . He had announced that he would retire from One Day International cricket after the World Cup, so this was his last match . The semi-final held at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was his last ODI match on home soil, and there he had been carried around the stadium, perched on his teammates' shoulders, on a lap of honour after that match . </P> <P> The on - field umpires were Simon Taufel of Australia and Aleem Dar of Pakistan, with Ian Gould being the third (TV) umpire . All of these umpires are highly rated; Taufel has won 5 ICC Umpire of the Year awards, while Dar has won two . Taufel had never been able to officiate in a World Cup final because Australia had been qualifying for the finals in the last four editions . Jeff Crowe was the match referee and Steve Davis the reserve umpire . </P>

Indian cricket team in icc world cup 2011