The Indian cricket team were overwhelmed with emotion after touching back down in Mumbai, the city that was witness to two of their previous World Cup triumphs. Captain Rohit Sharma and his men embarked on a celebratory open-top bus parade through the streets of Mumbai, which saw huge crowds turn up to welcome their T20 World Cup heroes.
Virat Kohli, whose unbeaten 82 helped India lift the 2007 trophy in Mumbai, was visibly distraught as the magnitude of the moment sunk in. The chants from the joyous fans prompted tears from the veteran batter, celebrating on the very same ground where he carried his idol Sachin Tendulkar on his shoulders years ago.
Suryakumar Yadav, player of the series in the recently concluded tournament, took it all in with a beaming smile. His stunning catch in the final will go down in Indian sporting folklore. Yadav had remarked before the trip how quiet Barbados was in comparison, joking about the scene that would await in India. Truly, Mumbai spared no effort in making the players feel loved and appreciated.
The parade saw Rohit Sharma and Kohli, the faces of two different eras of Indian cricket, walk alongside hand-in-hand holding the trophy. Their partnership in lifting the trophy healed past tensions and highlighted true team spirit. All present bonded as one happy unit determined to celebrate together and put recent troubles behind them.
Fans turned up in huge numbers braving humidity and rain showers to catch a glimpse of their heroes. Their energy and fervor remained sky high throughout, chanting the names of Rohit, Kohli, Yadav, Hardik Pandya and the other Indian stars. The players in turn acknowledged the support with waves, smiles and bows soaking in the magnitude of this special moment with the country at their feet. Indeed, Mumbai never disappoints when it comes to honoring its champions of cricket.
