Which country won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in the final?

Introduction / Context:
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was a landmark tournament, especially for cricket fans in the Indian subcontinent. It was co hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and the final became one of the most remembered matches in modern cricket history. This question asks which country actually lifted the World Cup trophy in 2011, which is a core sports general knowledge fact for many competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The tournament in question is the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.
• The final was played between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai.
• Options include Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan and India.
• We assume standard official ICC records for the result.

Concept / Approach:
The approach is primarily recall based. The learner must remember the champion country in the 2011 edition. Knowing the sequence of World Cup winners helps. Australia dominated the World Cup in the early two thousands, but 2011 marked the rise of another champion. The question also hints at Sri Lanka as a strong team but does not state explicitly that they won or lost the final, so careful recall is needed.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the 2011 Cricket World Cup final was played at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.Step 2: The final was between India and Sri Lanka.Step 3: India successfully chased the target set by Sri Lanka, with key contributions from Gautam Gambhir and the captain M. S. Dhoni.Step 4: India won the match and thus became the World Cup champions in 2011.Step 5: Therefore, among the options given, the correct answer is India.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by recalling the emotional significance of this victory. It was India s second Cricket World Cup win after the famous 1983 triumph. The 2011 win ended a long wait and was widely celebrated across the country. Also, Mahendra Singh Dhoni received the Player of the Match award in the final. These widely known facts confirm that India, not Sri Lanka, Australia or Pakistan, won the 2011 World Cup.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sri Lanka reached the final and posted a competitive total but lost to India, so it is not the champion. Australia had dominated previous editions, winning in 1999, 2003 and 2007, but did not win in 2011. Pakistan had won the World Cup once earlier in 1992, but not in 2011. Therefore only India is correct for the 2011 tournament.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse the years of different World Cup wins, especially because Australia and India both had strong teams in that period. Some may also recall Sri Lanka as a previous champion in 1996 and mistakenly choose it again. Keeping a short timeline of World Cup winners in memory and linking 2011 with the Dhoni era helps avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
India won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.