India's T20 world champions land in Delhi to begin victory celebrations

Rohit Sharma's team had been stranded in Barbados since Saturday following hurricane in the Caribbean

Suryakumar Yadav greets fans as he arrives with the Indian team at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Thursday, July 4, 2024. AP

Fans gather outside the Indira Gandhi International Airport to greet the Indian players as they returned from Barbados after winning the T20 World Cup. AP

India star of the final - Hardik Pandya - in New Delhi on Thursday. The Indian team will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then take part in a victory parade in Mumbai. AP

India's Virat Kohli greets fans as he arrives at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, Thursday, July 4, 2024. Indian cricket team returned Thursday after winning the T20 Cricket World Cup hosted by the United States and the West Indies. (AP Photo)

Mohammed Siraj and the rest of the Indian team returned home. AFP

The Indian team returned home after being stuck in Barbados since Saturday due to hurricane. AFP

Captain Rohit Sharma holds the T20 World Cup trophy. AFP

India's T20 world champions finally landed in the country after a delay of more than four days, with thousands of fans braving monsoon rain to greet them.

The Indian team got stranded in Barbados, along with their family, board members and media, after Hurricane Beryl caused devastation across the Caribbean.

The Indian cricket board arranged for a chartered flight to get the contingent back home as normal services are yet to resume across the Caribbean islands.

Plane tracking website, Flightradar24, said the special Air India flight had been the "most tracked flight for much of the last 15 hours", as fans followed their team's journey back from the Caribbean.

Captain Rohit Sharma held up the World Cup trophy after arriving at New Delhi airport early Thursday morning.

Hundreds of supporters gathered at the airport, many waving the national flag.

India's delayed victory celebration will continue throughout the day. The national team will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Then, they will fly to Mumbai where an open bus parade has been scheduled in the evening. Thereafter, a celebration ceremony will take place at the the Wankhede Stadium, which is also the headquarters of the Indian cricket board.

It has been a memorable few weeks for the Indian team who ended their decade long wait for a major title in Barbados on Saturday.

There, India defeated South Africa in a sensational final by seven runs, after looking down and out.

The Proteas needed 30 runs from 30 balls with six wickets in hand before India's fast bowlers scripted a remarkable turnaround to secure victory.

Star batsman Virat Kohli top-scored in the final with 76 while all-rounder Hardik Pandya picked up three wickets. Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh continued their excellent form in the title match.

The T20 triumph was India's first World Cup title since it won the 50-over version in 2011.

Victory also helped soothe the pain of successive final defeats over the last 12 months. India had lost the World Test Championship final to Australia in England and then the 50-over World Cup title at home, also to the Australians.

India were overwhelming favourites to win the ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad in November, but their grand victory celebrations had to be cancelled. They will now resume with the BCCI announcing a cash bonus of $15 million for the winning squad.

It also marked the beginning of a transition phase in Indian cricket. Soon after winning the title, captain Sharma, star batsman Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from international T20 matches.