It has been nearly five days since that fateful day at the Kensington Oval in Barbados when the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team ended a 13-year-long wait for a World Cup trophy, beating South Africa in the final to lift the T20 World Cup 2024. But the excitement around Indian cricketers refuses to subside. Quite understandable. It was after 11 years that India finally got their hands on an ICC trophy. And this after numerous heartbreaks.
There were numerous celebrations in Barbados – Rohit Sharma had revealed partying the entire night at the team hotel – but how can the players not show excitement when the trophy landed home? The wait was long as the cricketers, support staff, their family members and BCCI officials were stranded in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl but it finally ended on Thursday as the Air India special flight, arranged by BCCI, landed in New Delhi at around 6:10 am.
As soon as the flight landed in New Delhi, BCCI shared a video of the players unboxing the T20 World Cup trophy. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja were seen picking up the trophy, kissing it before putting it back in the box.
Rohit was seen celebrating with the trophy. It has been extra special for the Indian captain. It was his last attempt at winning a T20 World Cup and he managed to do it, becoming the third Indian captain after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to win a World Cup.
Hundreds of fans, holding placards congratulating their favourite players and waving the national flag, braved a steady drizzle to line up outside the Indira Gandhi International airport to welcome the victorious players.
The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC — Air India Champions 24 World Cup — took off from Bridgetown, Barbados around 4:50am local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6:10 am (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour non-stop journey.
The Indian squad, its support staff, the players’ families and some board officials are aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent.
Theside won the crown, which is India’s fourth overall World Cup, after pulling off a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final on Saturday but was unable to head back home due to a shutdown forced by hurricane Beryl.
The Indian cricketers, coaches and BCCI officials left in batches for ITC Maurya, where special arrangements have been made to welcome the World Cup champions.
The team is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and have breakfast with him.
After this, the team will fly to Mumbai to take part in an open bus victory parade followed by a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium.
