Image Source: PTI
[Saba Sports News] India’s T20 World Cup champions will hold a victory parade in Mumbai on Thursday evening, reminiscent of the celebration 17 years ago after MS Dhoni’s team won the inaugural T20 World Cup. Skipper Rohit Sharma, a member of the victorious 2007 squad, will be the center of attention during the open bus parade.
“We want to enjoy this special moment with all of you. So let’s celebrate this win with a victory parade at Marine Drive & Wankhede on July 4th from 5:00pm onwards. It’s coming home,” Rohit posted on X.
The 2007 parade from Mumbai airport to Wankhede Stadium lasted six hours, cheered on by a sea of people. This year’s parade will be shorter due to the team’s jet lag from a 15-hour flight from Barbados to Delhi, and then to Mumbai.
The charter flight carrying the team is expected to land in Delhi around 6am on Thursday. The World Cup winners will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over breakfast at 11am before departing for Mumbai. After winning the final on Saturday, the team received a congratulatory call from the PM.
The Mumbai parade will cover approximately 1 km, from Nariman Point across Marine Drive to Wankhede Stadium. BCCI secretary Jay Shah wrote on X: “Join us for the Victory Parade honouring Team India’s World Cup win! Head to Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium on July 4th from 5:00 pm onwards to celebrate with us! Save the date! #TeamIndia.”
Elaborate security arrangements, with the help of local police, are in place for the parade, expecting over 100,000 people to cheer the team.
The Indian squad, stranded for three days in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl, took a charter flight with the call sign AIC24WC (Air India Champions 24 World Cup) at around 5am local time.
After the parade, a felicitation function will be held at Wankhede Stadium where BCCI will hand over a winning bonus totaling ₹125 crore to be divided between players, support staff, and national selectors.
India ended an 11-year ICC trophy drought, last winning the Champions Trophy in 2013, with an unbeaten run of eight wins. The tournament culminated with a seven-run victory over South Africa in the final.
Heroes of the final included Virat Kohli, whose 76 rescued the Indian innings, Axar Patel’s brisk 47 and 1/49, and Jasprit Bumrah, the player of the tournament, who produced a crucial breakthrough. Hardik Pandya bowled the final over, dismissing David Miller with the first ball to a spectacular catch by Suryakumar Yadav, sealing the victory for India.