T20 World Cup Champions: About 20-odd Indian sports journalists on Wednesday shared the flight with Rohit Sharma and company as the winning squad returned home from Barbados with the ICC T20 World Cup trophy.
Though they were not allowed to take pictures or videos with the players, the journalists revealed how the players spent their time during the 16-hour flight. BCCI urged the reporters not to film or click any photos inside the flight as the cricketers wanted everyone to behave like family and make it a private affair. However, the media personalities were also allowed to hold the T20 World Cup trophy and take photos with it.
During the Air India flight from Barbados to Delhi, the pilot made special announcements to thank the Indian cricket team for ending the long wait for a World Cup victory. Acknowledgement was also given to head coach Rahul Dravid, who will no longer be part of the Indian dressing room.
India Today reported that Indian players, their families, and support staff were accommodated in business class. However, several members, including captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain Hardik Pandya, batter Suryakumar Yadav, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, and head coach Rahul Dravid, visited the economy section to chat with passengers.
The player of the tournament, Jasprit Bumrah, was seen babysitting his son Angad to ensure the long flight was not too taxing for him.
Check all Team India Arrival Live Action here
The T20 World Cup-winning Indian team touched down in Delhi on Thursday to a rousing welcome from fans, who were waiting to see their favourite cricketing heroes and for a glimpse of the silverware.
The squad members, support staff, their families, and the media were stuck in Barbados, which was hit by Hurricane Beryl, a category four hurricane that hit the island nation. Due to the storm, the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados was shut for three days.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) secretary, Jay Shah, organised a special flight that departed Barbados on July 2 and arrived in Delhi at around 6:00 am on Thursday. BCCI board officials and members of the media contingent from the tournament were also on the flight.
India ended a 13-year ICC trophy drought with victory in the final, defeating South Africa by seven runs on Saturday. Virat Kohli's 76 helped India reach 176/7, while Hardik Pandya (3/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/18) helped India restrict the Proteans to 169/8 despite Heinrich Klaasen's 52 in just 27 balls. Jasprit Bumrah got 15 scalps through the tournament at a stunning economy rate of 4.17 and received the ‘Player of the Tournament’.
