PM Modi Meets India's T20 World Champions After Team Returned Home To Rousing Welcome | WATCH

The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team returned to the country on Thursday morning aboard a charter flight and went to the Prime Minister’s residence soon after. They met PM Modi at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence and interacted with him over breakfast.

The men in blue posed with the Prime Minister with the World Cup trophy before heading for the airport for their grand celebrations in Mumbai later in the day.

Along with the players, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) top brass Roger Binny and Jay Shah also met with the Prime Minister.

According to the visuals from the PM’s residence, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid, Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah spoke on the occasion.

According to sources, players from Mumbai, including Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dubey, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, have been invited to the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The Prime Minister has always taken a keen interest in sports. He had sent his congratulatory message right after the men in blue won the T20 World Cup last week.

He had also witnessed the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final match last year. He expects to motivate the country’s youth via the young achievers.

Hundreds of supporters, holding placards congratulating their favourites and waving the national flag, braved the weather to welcome the victorious side, which defeated South Africa by seven runs in the final in Bridgetown on Saturday last week.

“We have waited for this moment for the past 13 years. The team has made us proud by winning the World Cup,” a fan, who claimed to have been waiting since 4:30 am in the morning said, referring to India’s last World Cup triumph which came back in 2011.

The side was unable to head back home immediately after the title win due to a shutdown forced by hurricane Beryl in Barbados. They were cocooned in their hotel before the BCCI made arrangements for the special charter flight.

The Air India special charter flight AIC24WC — Air India Champions 24 World Cup — which left Barbados around 4:50am local time on Wednesday arrived in Delhi at 6am (IST) on Thursday after a 16-hour non-stop journey.

The Indian squad, its support staff, the players’ families and some BCCI officials were aboard the flight along with members of the travelling media contingent.

Security arrangements, itinerary

Heavy security was deployed to keep the crowd in check at the Indira Gandhi International airport but that did little to dampen the spirits as fans cheered enthusiastically holding up posters of star batter Virat Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid.

Two buses were stationed outside the T3 Terminal to ferry the players to their hotel, from where they headed to the Prime Minister’s residence for a reception.

They trickled out in ones and twos after completing immigration formalities.

Tired but excited, the players acknowledged the waiting fans by waving at them and flashing warm smiles. The players are scheduled to take part in grand celebrations in Mumbai later in the evening.

Suryakumar Yadav, who took the sensational match-winning catch of David Miller in the final, was the most enthusiastic in responding to the cheering.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant saluted the gathered crowd, while pacer Mohammed Siraj blew flying kisses in their direction.

Rohit and Player of the Final Virat Kohli, both of whom retired from T20Is at the end of India’s campaign, were among the last to come out of the VIP exit.

Rohit, who held the coveted trophy in his hands, raised it for the fans to catch a glimpse before boarding the bus. Kohli gave a thumbs up to acknowledge the support before taking his place in the bus.

The squad won the country its second T20 world title, ending an 11-year wait for an ICC trophy, on Saturday. India’s previous ICC title was in 2013 when it won the Champions Trophy under Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Its earlier World Cup titles came in 1983 (ODI), 2007 (T20) and 2011 (ODI). After meeting the Prime Minister, the players will fly to Mumbai to participate in an open bus victory parade followed by a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium.