Sunil Gavaskar wins the show with his dance moves at the Wankhede 50th anniversary celebrations
Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Cricket Stadium celebrated its golden jubilee in style on Sunday (January 19) evening with a colorful event that included music, dance and an impressive laser show, and it was sure to be an unforgettable evening for the visitors.
An incredible 50 years of the Wankhede Stadium was celebrated by more than 60 international cricketers from Mumbai, men and women, as legendary legends joined the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to celebrate the historic occasion in a big way on Sunday (January 19).
Highlights of the Golden Jubilee of the Wankhede Stadium included the unveiling of a commemorative stamp and felicitations from Mumbai Indian cricket captains—Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma and Diana Edulja.
Sunil Gavaskar dances to “Om Shanti Om” at Wankhede Stadium’s 50th anniversary celebrations
Apart from these moments and cultural festivals that showcased the Maratha culture, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar’s dance was one of the major highlights of the event in Mumbai. Gavaskar wowed the audience by dancing to the title track of Shah Rukh Khan’s Bollywood hit “Om Shanti Om” after the host invited him to join in.
Even Diana Edulji joined the legendary India batter and the duo set the stage on fire with their moves. Sunil Gavaskar enthusiastically played the song “Om Shanti Om” and even he showed his singing talent by humming this song on the host’s request. Sachin Tendulkar also sang the song “Om Shanti Om” in a viral video shared by MCA.
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वान्खेडेवर क्रिकेटचै
PS – Don’t miss Sunny G’s dance performance! 👌#Wankhede50 | #MCA | #Mumbai | #Cricket pic.twitter.com/t5DllZ9uEC
— Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) (@MumbaiCricAssoc) January 19, 2025
Sunil Gavaskar sings and dances to the famous song “Om Shanti Om” ❤️
– Beautiful video…!!!! pic.twitter.com/sYWgbReN1Q
— Ivanovi. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 20, 2025
Felt like the home ground of Mumbai Cricket: Sunil Gavaskar
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar said the Wankhede stadium is very special in his heart as the legendary batsman said it was “love at first sight”. Gavaskar said at the event as quoted by the Times of India: “When the Wankhede Stadium was built in 1974, our dressing room was downstairs. When we first stepped on the training ground, it was love at first sight.”
The former Indian captain further added, “Before that we played at the Brabourne Stadium, which belonged to a club (Cricket Club of India). But coming here, it felt like the home ground of Mumbai cricket. It’s always a different feeling when you have your home field. I still get that feeling whenever I come for a comment. I feel like I’m at home, and that’s a really wonderful feeling. My chest swells with pride.”
A brief look at the historic moments at the Wankhede Stadium
Apart from Mumbai cricketers, the Wankhede Stadium also holds a special place in the hearts of cricket fans as it hosted the celebration of India’s first T20 World Cup victory under MS Dhoni in 2007 and also witnessed the legendary World Cup victory in 2011, where the legendary wicketkeeper -batter sealed the win with a memorable six against Sri Lanka.
More recently, the stadium has honored the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team for their triumph in the T20 World Cup 2024. 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.
