India cricketers received a warm welcome from fans upon their return to New Delhi after winning the Twenty20 World Cup final in Barbados. India skipper Rohit Sharma proudly displayed the World Cup trophy as he arrived at the airport, where hundreds of supporters had gathered, waving the national flag and chanting “India, India.” The celebrations, which began on Saturday, were set to continue with thousands more awaiting the team’s arrival at their hotel. Some players even danced to drum beats upon reaching their destination. India secured a thrilling seven-run victory against South Africa in the final, bringing an end to their drought in global ICC limited-overs competitions.
Cricket official Arun Dhumal described the T20 triumph as a “lifetime experience” for the team. This victory marks India’s first World Cup title since winning the 50-over version in 2011. In the past year, India faced defeat in the World Test Championship final to Australia in England and the 50-over World Cup final at home, which was also against Australia.
After meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, the cricketers were scheduled to fly to Mumbai for an open bus roadshow followed by a celebration ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium. The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a cash bonus of 1.25 billion rupees ($15 million) for the winning squad. Following their victory, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from international T20 matches.