Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
India’s cricket team stands for the national anthem during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket team takes a victory lap during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India’s cricket team pose as confetti flies during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket player Jasprit Bumrah, center, dances with teammates during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowd waits for team India cricket team arrival near Wankhede Stadium at Marine drive in Mumbai, India, Thursday, July 4, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India’s cricket players dance during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket team stands for the national anthem during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket team stands for the national anthem during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket team takes a victory lap during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket team takes a victory lap during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India’s cricket team pose as confetti flies during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket team pose as confetti flies during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket player Jasprit Bumrah, center, dances with teammates during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket player Jasprit Bumrah, center, dances with teammates during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their Twenty20 Cricket World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowds surround a double-decker bus as the India cricket team takes part in a parade celebrating their T20 Cricket World Cup win, Thursday, July 4, 2024, near Wankhede Stadium along Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowd waits for team India cricket team arrival near Wankhede Stadium at Marine drive in Mumbai, India, Thursday, July 4, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
Crowd waits for team India cricket team arrival near Wankhede Stadium at Marine drive in Mumbai, India, Thursday, July 4, 2024.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
India’s cricket players dance during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
India’s cricket players dance during a ceremony at Wankhede Stadium, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Mumbai, India, celebrating their ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup win. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
NEW DELHI (AP) — Tens of thousands of jubilant fans poured onto Mumbai’s Marine Drive to cheer India’s new world cricket champions when they returned home on Thursday.
India beat South Africa in a tight finish in the Twenty20 World Cup final last weekend in Barbados for their first world cricket title in 13 years.
Skipper Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya held the coveted trophy in an open bus convoy to Wankhede stadium, where they were to participate in celebrations organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Fans danced, waved the India flag, and flashed smartphone lights after waiting for hours to glimpse Sharma, Virat Kohli and the other cricket stars.
The victorious squad landed in New Delhi early Thursday on a charter flight from Barbados. They met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence and later left for Mumbai.
Hundreds of supporters were gathered at New Delhi International Airport, many of them chanting “India, India” as the players came out and boarded a bus.
There were hundreds more waiting at the hotel to continue the celebrations, which started on Saturday as soon as the final was won. Some of the players danced to drum beats when they reached their hotel.
The team’s return from the Caribbean was delayed because of a shutdown in Barbados forced by Hurricane Beryl.
“It’s a lifetime experience,” cricket official Arun Dhumal said.
The T20 triumph was India’s first World Cup title since 2011, when it won the 50-over version.
The BCCI has announced a cash bonus of 1.25 billion rupees ($15 million) for the winning squad.
Soon after winning the title, Sharma, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from T20 internationals.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
