They're home: T20 world champions reach Delhi, fans brave rain to greet Men in Blue
Hundreds of supporters, holding placards and waving the national flag, braved rain to welcome Rohit Sharma and his boys, who defeated South Africa by seven runs in a heart-stopper of a final in Bridgetown on June 29
July 04, 2024 / 08:59 IST
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The Men T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team returned home early on July 4 aboard a specially-arranged charter flight with scores of fans lining up outside the airport to welcome the players despite a steady drizzle and heavy security deployment that kept them at a distance from their heroes.
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Hundreds of supporters, holding placards congratulating Rohit Sharma and his boys and waving the Tricolour, braved the weather to welcome the team, which defeated South Africa by seven runs in a nail-biting final in Bridgetown on June 29.
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The side was unable to head back home immediately due to a shutdown forced by Hurricane Beryl in Barbados. They were cocooned in their hotel before the BCCI arranged the flight.
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The Air India flight AIC24WC -- Air India Champions 24 World Cup -- which left Barbados around 4.50 am local time on July 3 arrived in Delhi at 6am after a 16-hour non-stop journey.
The Indian squad, its support staff, the players' families and some BCCI officials were aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent.
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Heavy security was deployed to keep the crowd in check at the Indira Gandhi International airport but that did little to dampen the spirits as fans cheered enthusiastically holding up posters of star batter Virat Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid.
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Two buses stationed outside the T3 Terminal ferried the players to their hotel, from where they will head to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the morning
