Indian cricket fans have another reason to celebrate! On Wednesday, Air India sent a special charter flight to pick up our T20 World Champion team from Bridgetown, Barbados.
Rohit Sharma and his squad, along with their families and coaching staff, were stuck in their hotel rooms because of Hurricane Beryl.
To get them back, Air India even canceled a New York-Delhi flight and rerouted it to Barbados.
BCCI to the Rescue
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handled all the travel plans for the team’s return.
The special charter flight, named AIC24WC (Air India Champions 24 World Cup), took off around 4:50 am local time and is expected to land in New Delhi on Thursday at about 6:20 am IST.
Rohit Sharma’s Instagram Update
Rohit Sharma shared a post on Instagram with the caption "Coming home," featuring a photo of himself with the trophy on the plane.
The Boeing 777, which left New Jersey on July 2, landed in Barbados around 2 am local time. The airport staff at Grantley Adams International Airport said they had never seen such a big plane land there before.
Late Departure
The team was supposed to leave Barbados at 6 pm local time on July 2 and arrive in India at 7:45 pm IST on Wednesday. However, the flight was delayed because the plane landed late in Barbados.
Despite the delay, the team will be welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a massive road-show is being planned in Mumbai to celebrate their victory, which ends an 11-year wait for a major trophy.
Hotel Chaos in Barbados
Hurricane Beryl wreaked havoc on the team’s hotel in Barbados. The hotel ran out of water, had no fresh food, and lacked diesel to keep the generators running.
With the hurricane heading towards Jamaica, the BCCI quickly arranged the special flight to ensure everyone’s safe return, with Air India’s help.
Grand Welcome in India
As soon as the team lands, they will be honoured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A grand road-show in Mumbai is also in the works to celebrate the team’s amazing win and end the 11-year trophy drought.
This celebration aims to acknowledge the team’s hard work and dedication and share the joy with fans across the country.
