Watch World Champs Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, Dravid: Activities during 16-Hour Air India Flight from Barbados to Delhi
Watch World Champs Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, Dravid: Activities during 16-Hour Air India Flight from Barbados to Delhi
The Indian cricket team, fresh off their T20 World Cup victory, finally landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
Travelling with the prestigious 🏆 on the way back home! 😍
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 4, 2024
🎥 WATCH: #TeamIndia were in excellent company during their memorable travel day ✈️👌 – By @RajalArora #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/0ivb9m9Zp1
Team India finally brought home the trophy after a gruelling 16-hour special Air India flight from Barbados. This return marks the end of a five-day journey hampered by Hurricane Beryl. The hurricane had left the team stranded in the Caribbean.
The victorious squad, led by Rohit Sharma, alongside their families, coaching and support staff, and BCCI officials, faced a challenging return due to airport shutdowns caused by the hurricane. To ensure their safe return, the BCCI arranged a special charter flight once conditions improved.
India clinched the T20 World Cup title by defeating South Africa in a thrilling final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29. This victory ended a 17-year wait for a T20 World Cup and was the first World Cup win since the 2011 ODI triumph under MS Dhoni.
The team celebrated their victory extensively in Barbados before the hurricane delayed their return. After waiting four days, the BCCI made an urgent request to Air India, which responded by diverting a scheduled flight from Newark to New Delhi to bring the champions home.
Inside the Flight
The special charter flight, Air India Champions 24 World Cup (AIC24WC), departed from Barbados at 4:50 am local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6 am IST on Thursday. Despite the long journey, the spirits of the Indian cricketers remained high. BCCI shared a video capturing the joyous mood inside the flight, featuring players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj, and Yuzvendra Chahal expressing their emotions.
The 20-odd Indian sports journalists aboard the flight also shared insights into the players’ activities. To ensure privacy, the BCCI requested no photos or videos be taken during the flight, encouraging everyone to act as a family.
Announcements and Special Gestures
The Air India pilot made several special announcements, thanking the Indian team for their World Cup victory and specifically acknowledging head coach Rahul Dravid, who will be stepping down from his role. Throughout the flight, players mingled with each other, with some, including Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Rahul Dravid, visiting the economy section to chat with passengers.
Jasprit Bumrah, named Player of the Tournament, was seen babysitting his son Angad, ensuring the long journey was manageable for his family. Additionally, the BCCI allowed media personnel on board to hold and take photos of the T20 World Cup trophy as a special gesture.
Upon landing in New Delhi, the team was greeted by hundreds of supporters, waving national flags and holding placards to congratulate their heroes. The players then proceeded to the ITC Maurya Hotel. The players are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi before flying to Mumbai for a grand roadshow from Marine Drive to the Wankhede Stadium at 5 pm in an open bus.
The triumphant return of the Indian cricket team has been a source of immense pride and joy for the nation. The whole of India is celebrating their hard-fought victory and the end of a long wait for World Cup glory.
