World Cup Champions Return Home After Hurricane Delay, Greeted by Fans in Delhi
Rohit Sharma's Team to Meet PM Modi, Celebrate in Mumbai Parade and Ceremony
Five days after claiming the most prized trophy in Barbados, where it was stuck due to a category 4 hurricane, the Indian cricket team that won the T20 World Cup touched down in Delhi on Thursday via a specially scheduled charter jet.
Hundreds of supporters defied a persistent drizzle to gather outside the Indira Gandhi International airport here to greet the winning players. They held posters applauding their favorite players and waved the national flag.
After an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy, the team captained by Rohit Sharma won the nation's second T20 world title on Saturday.
After a 16-hour nonstop flight, the Air India special charter aircraft AIC24WC, or Air India Champions 24 World Cup, departed Bridgetown, Barbados on Wednesday at 4:50 a.m. local time and arrived in Delhi at 6 a.m. (IST) on Thursday.
The airplane carries the Indian team, its support personnel, the players' families, a few board officials, and a contingent of traveling journalists.
After a thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the championship match on Saturday, the team won the title—its fourth World Cup overall—but was unable to return home because of a shutdown brought on by cyclone Beryl.
The group is expected to meet at the home of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The group will next take a flight to Mumbai to participate in an open bus triumph parade, which will be followed by a felicitation event at Wankhede Stadium.
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