The Indian cricket team, fresh from their T20 World Cup 2024 victory, reached the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. After arriving in New Delhi at around 6 am, the team freshened up at the ITC Maurya Hotel, where they were welcomed with a grand reception. The players, led by captain Rohit Sharma, enjoyed a brief dance performance and cut a special cake before heading to meet the Prime Minister.
Around 1 pm, the team left PM Modi’s residence and headed to Delhi airport to catch a flight to Mumbai for the next round of celebrations. The Prime Minister had previously congratulated the team over a phone call following their victory last Saturday. The schedule included a planned breakfast with PM Modi.
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The team is scheduled to catch a 2:00 PM flight to Mumbai, where an open bus parade is planned. BCCI secretary Jay Shah and Rohit Sharma posted on social media on Wednesday, encouraging fans to show up in large numbers to support the team.
For the 37-year-old Rohit Sharma, a native of Mumbai and a fan favorite, the celebration holds special significance. A similar roadshow took place in Mumbai 17 years ago when MS Dhoni’s team defeated Pakistan in the final of the inaugural 2007 World T20 in South Africa.
Despite being tired, the players greeted the waiting fans with waves and warm smiles. Suryakumar Yadav, who took the match-winning catch of David Miller in the final, was particularly animated in responding to the cheering crowd. Rishabh Pant, who returned to international cricket at the event after a life-threatening car accident, saluted the gathered crowd, while pacer Mohammed Siraj blew flying kisses.
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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who both retired from T20Is at the end of India’s campaign, were among the last to exit from the VIP area. Rohit raised the coveted trophy for fans to see before boarding the bus, while Kohli gave a thumbs-up to acknowledge their support.
In their excitement to see their heroes, some fans claimed they had been waiting outside the airport since the previous night. “We have been here since last night. It was very important for us to win this World Cup after losing the ODI World Cup last year,” a group of fans expressed.
The squad’s victory marks India’s second T20 world title, ending an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy. India’s last ICC title was in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
