Team Blitz India
New Delhi: The triumphant Indian cricket team returned home to a rousing reception on July 4, as hundreds of fans braved the steady drizzle and heavy security outside the Indira Gandhi International Airport to welcome their heroes.
The team, fresh from their T20 World Cup victory in Bridgetown, arrived aboard a specially-arranged charter flight, marking the end of a journey that had been delayed by Hurricane Beryl in Barbados.
Despite the early hour and inclement weather, fans holding placards and waving the national flag lined up outside the airport, eager to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. “The wait of 11 years has ended, indeed the celebration will be high. I came from Laxmi Nagar and reached airport early morning at 5am just to see a glimpse of our skipper ‘India ka Raja’ Rohit Sharma and the team,” said a fan at airport.
The team, unable to return home immediately after their victory due to the hurricane, had been cocooned in their hotel until the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) arranged for a special charter flight. The Air India flight, aptly named AIC24WC – Air India Champions 24 World Cup, left Barbados at 4:50 am local time on Wednesday and arrived in Delhi at 6 am (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour non-stop journey.
Heavy security was in place at the airport to manage the crowd, but this did little to dampen the spirits of the fans who cheered enthusiastically, holding up posters of star batter Virat Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma, and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid.
