India’s T20 world champs arrive in Delhi; fans brave rain to welcome players

New Delhi: The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team returned to the country here on Thursday 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.

Hundreds of supporters, holding placards congratulating their favourites and waving the national flag, braved the weather to welcome the victorious side, which defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final in Bridgetown on Saturday last week.

“We have waited for this moment for the past 13 years. The team has made us proud by winning the World Cup,” a fan, who claimed to have been waiting since 4:30am in the morning said, referring to India’s last World Cup triumph which came back in 2011.

The Rohit Sharma-led squad won the country its second T20 world title, ending an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy, on Saturday.

The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC — Air India Champions 24 World Cup — took off from Bridgetown, Barbados around 4:50am local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6am (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour non-stop journey.

The Indian squad, its support staff, the players’ families and some board officials are aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent.

The side won the crown, which is India’s fourth overall World Cup, after pulling off a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final on Saturday but was unable to head back home due to a shutdown forced by hurricane Beryl.

The team is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 9am at his residence.

After this, the team will fly to Mumbai to take part in an open bus victory parade followed by a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium.