The Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, will be returning home as the champions of the T20 World Cup 2024 after defeating South Africa in a thrilling final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
The team’s arrival in India is expected to be a grand celebration, with fans eagerly awaiting to welcome their heroes.
The initial itinerary had the team leaving for New York from Barbados and then possibly boarding for New Delhi on Monday. However, due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Elsa, the team’s travel plans have been revised. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that the team will now be returning to India on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024.
The Indian team, filled with determination, arrived in Barbados on June 28th, 2024, to prepare for the highly anticipated final against South Africa. Their journey to the final was marked by impressive performances throughout the tournament, with the team finishing at the top of Group A with seven points.
In the semi-final against England, India posted a total of 171/7, powered by key performances from Rohit Sharma (57 runs) and Suryakumar Yadav (47 runs). The bowlers, led by Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, restricted England to 103 runs, securing a 68-run victory for India.
The final against South Africa was a nail-biting affair, with the Proteas needing just 30 runs from 30 balls in their chase. However, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya stepped up in the death overs, taking seven wickets between them to restrict South Africa to 169/8.
India emerged victorious by a narrow margin, clinching their second T20 World Cup title.
The BCCI has announced a prize money of Rs 125 crore for the victorious Indian team, recognizing their historic achievement. The win also marked the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from T20 International cricket, as well as the end of Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian team.
The Indian team’s triumph has sparked celebrations across the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni congratulating the team on their achievement.
Fans are eagerly awaiting the team’s arrival in India, where they will be given a grand welcome as the T20 World Cup 2024 champions.
The BCCI wants to have a celebration once the team gets back to India, but the airport in Barbados is closed due to a hurricane warning. This has left the team stranded there.
“We are stuck here just like you. We’ll plan the celebration once our travel plans are confirmed,” said Jay Shah.
