Cricket World Cup Champs Return Home to Hero's Welcome

Despite monsoon storms and heightened security, jubilant cricket fans cheered on their heroes as the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup returned to a rapturous welcome that featured every aspect of a wild celebration here on Thursday.

Hundreds of fans braved the bad weather to wait outside the airport for the winning team, which defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final in Bridgetown on Saturday of last week. They held signs thanking their favorites and waved the national flag.

"For the past 13 years, we have been waiting for this moment. Referring to India's most recent World Cup victory, which occurred in 2011, a supporter claimed to have been waiting since 4:30 a.m. "The team has made us proud by winning the World Cup," the fan remarked.

Due to a shutdown brought on by hurricane Beryl in Barbados, the team was unable to return home right away following their championship victory. Before BCCI secretary Jay Shah arranged for a special charter flight, they were sequestered in their hotel.

On Thursday, July 4, 2024, supporters assemble at the airport in New Delhi to greet the Indian cricket team that has won the T20 World Cup. The Indian cricket team won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados, and they came home on Thursday.
On Thursday, July 4, 2024, supporters assemble at the airport in New Delhi to greet the Indian cricket team that has won the T20 World Cup. The Indian cricket team won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados, and they came home on Thursday.
PTI
After a 16-hour nonstop flight, the Air India Champions 24 World Cup special charter aircraft AIC24WC, which departed Barbados on Wednesday at 4:50 a.m. local time, arrived in Delhi on Thursday at 6 a.m. (IST).

At the Indira Gandhi International Airport, tight security measures were implemented to manage the gathering. However, this did not deter the boisterous cheers of supporters, who waved posters of star batsman Virat Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma, and departing head coach Rahul Dravid.

The players were transported to the ITC Maurya Sheraton by two busses parked outside the T3 Terminal, where they were welcomed by traditional Bhangra dancers and dhol players.

The majority of them, including captain Rohit Sharma, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rishabh Pant, gave the gathered dancers a once-in-a-lifetime experience by shaking hands.

The players unwrapped a cake that had been kept ready for them, let their hair down, shook hands with everyone who wished to, and moved inside their rooms, leaving even the on-duty security staff smiling.

The anticipated media frenzy surrounded the entire event. After leaving for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's house a little while later, they began the busy schedule that would keep them busy all day.

The players had earlier, after completing immigration processes, trickled out of the airport in groups of one or two.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.