The special Air India charter flight, designated AIC24WC — “Air India Champions 24 World Cup” — took off around 4:50 am local time and is expected to touch down in the Indian capital on Thursday at approximately 6:20 am (IST).
Captain Rohit Sharma shared a photo on Instagram, posing with the trophy inside the aircraft, captioned “Coming home.”
The flight, arranged by the BCCI, carries the Indian squad, support staff, players’ families, board officials, and members of the travelling media. The Rohit Sharma-led team clinched the title after a thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the final on Saturday.
The Boeing 777, which originated from New Jersey, USA on July 2, landed in Barbados around 2 am local time. Airport staff remarked that they had never seen a larger aircraft land at Grantley Adams International Airport, which resumed operations on Tuesday.
Initially, the Indian team was set to depart around 6 pm local time on July 2 and arrive in India at 7:45 pm (IST) on Wednesday. However, the departure was delayed due to the late arrival of the plane.
Upon their return, the players are scheduled to be honored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi within hours of landing in the country. Additionally, plans are being made for a road-show in Mumbai to celebrate the triumphant team, which ended an 11-year trophy drought.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Beryl is now moving towards Jamaica.
