Upon landing in Delhi early Thursday morning, the Indian cricket team was greeted by hundreds of enthusiastic fans who had gathered at the Indira Gandhi International Airport to welcome their heroes.
Despite the steady drizzle, the fans lined up outside the airport, holding placards, waving the national flag, and cheering for their favourite players.
The captain, Rohit Sharma, added to the excitement by lifting the coveted trophy amid the uproar, allowing the fans to catch a glimpse of the silverware.
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The team’s journey back to India was facilitated by a specially arranged Air India charter flight, aptly named “Air India Champions 24 World Cup” (AIC24WC). The flight took off from Bridgetown, Barbados, around 4:50 am local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6 am (IST) on Thursday after a non-stop 16-hour journey.
Aboard the flight were the Indian squad, support staff, players’ families, board officials, and members of the travelling media contingent.
The Rohit Sharma-led team’s victory in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa marked India’s second T20 world title and the country’s fourth overall World Cup triumph.
The thrilling seven-run win over South Africa on Saturday ended an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy. However, the team’s return was delayed due to a shutdown forced by Hurricane Beryl in Barbados.
As part of the celebrations, the Indian cricket team is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Thursday morning. Following this, the team will travel to Mumbai, where they will participate in an open bus victory parade, allowing fans to catch a glimpse of their heroes and share in the joy of their achievements.
The celebrations will culminate with a felicitation ceremony at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, where the team will be honoured for their remarkable feat.
