New Delhi, July 4: The 13 year long wait ends on Thursday, after Team India arrives from the Caribbean with the World Cup. It was a much awaited celebration in Delhi streets. The last World Cup title victory was in 2011.
In the last 13 years, Indian cricket has been into the semi-finals and finals of World Cups on a few occasions. Rated as the hot favourites to lift the World Cup, the team has missed out very narrowly on a few occasions.
However, though not the World Cup, but 11 years back in 2013, led by MS Dhoni, India last won a multi-naton ICC global cricket tournament in form of Champions Trophy.
Prior to that India won the 2011 ODI World Cup, 2007 T20 World Cup and 1983 ODI World Cup, etc. But between 2013 to 2024, global ICC titles continued to elude India.
The worst and perhaps the most hurting was the 2023 ODI World Cup Final in Ahmedabad. India after winning 10 consecutive matches in the tournament, were completely shocked by Australia.
In the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad, the Aussies, as promised not only silenced the huge crowd at Narendra Modi Stadium. Not only the fans but but the defeat almost sent Indian players stunned for days.
However, after BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced officially that Rohit Sharma would lead India in the T20 World Cup 2024, the team slowly began to regroup.
Team India's outgoing Head Coach Rahul Dravid did admit that he was convinced by captain Rohit to continue as the Head Coach. They all continued, worked hard, won the World Cup and brought it home proudly.
It was not only Dravid's last assignment with the team, but captain Rohit, his predecessor and Player of the Final Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja also signed off from the T20Is after lifting the World Cup 2024.
As the team reached home on Thursday, committed Indian cricket fans once again celebrated their cricket World Cup triumph with their victorious national team.
In 2011, India last celebrated an ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2011, when MS Dhoni's men beat Sri Lanka to lift their third World Cup title. The three previous World Cups India had won are 1983 ODI World Cup, 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 T20 World Cup.
After the Indian team led by their charismatic captain Rohit Sharma landed in Delhi on Thursday, it was magic, ecstasy and jubilation and loud celebrations.
Indian team was stranded for five days in Bridgetown (Barbados) due to Cyclone Beryl and left the Caribbean on a specially-arranged charter flight.
Fans and awaiting officials were elated when the Air India special charter flight AIC24WC landed in the national capital on Thursday at around 6:20 am IST.
Earlier the Indian captain Rohit Sharma had posted a message in his Instagram, "Coming home", just before their flight took off from West Indies.
Cops made elaborate security arrangements at the Delhi airport. The team would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then players. Security arrangements have been tightened in Mumbai airport as Rohit & Co are scheduled to fly to Mumbai later Thursday.
