Photograph: BCCI/X
The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence before they take part in an open bus road show followed by a felicitation ceremony at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
The Indian team is scheduled to reach New Delhi early on Thursday morning (6.20am IST) after departing from Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport in a chartered flight which has a special call sign - AIC24WC - Air India Champions 24 World Cup.
The departure of the Indian squad was delayed due to Hurricane Beryl. However, the team, its support staff, the players' families, some board officials and travelling Indian media finally managed to leave Barbados in the charter flight arranged by the BCCI early on Wednesday at 4.50am local time.
"The team has left from Barbados on a special Air India flight hired by the BCCI. The Indian journalists who were stuck there (Barbados) are also coming on the same flight along with BCCI president (Roger Binny) and secretary (Jay Shah), who are looking after all the arrangements," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told PTI.
"The flight will land at Delhi airport tomorrow 6 am. The team will meet PM Narendra Modi at 11 am at his residence. After this, the team will fly to Mumbai, where a ceremony has been organised.
"There will be a road show from Nariman Point in an open bus and later we will honour and felicitate the players with the prize money of Rs 125 crore as announced,” he added.
BCCI secretary Shah welcomed all fans to join the victory parade on Thursday evening.
"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," Shah said on X.
Victorious India captain Rohit Sharma also took to social media to welcome the fans.
"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 tweeted.
A felicitation event at the Wankhede Stadium is also planned for the members of the Indian team.
A similar road show was held in Mumbai 14 years ago when Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team had beaten arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the inaugural 2007 World T20 in South Africa.
Rohit and his men won India's second T20 World Cup after pulling off a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa in the final on Saturday.
Delhi Police makes security arrangements for Team India's arrival
Anticipating a gathering of cricket fans to welcome the T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team reaching Delhi on Thursday, the police have made adequate security arrangements at the airport and the hotel where the team will stay before leaving for Mumbai, officials said.
The security arrangements have been made from the IGI Airport to the ITC Maurya Hotel where they will have a halt on Thursday, they said.
The police have planned to provide them escort vehicles with armed policemen from the airport, where they are expected to land around 6 am after departing from Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport in a chartered flight, a senior police officer said.
Adequate police force will remain deployed at the routes from airport to the hotel. At least two companies of paramilitary personnel have been deployed around the hotel and routes in central Delhi, the officer said.
The police suspect that cricket fans may gather at routes or outside the hotel to welcome and cheer the team India for their victory in the T20 World Cup.
The squad will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 11 am at his residence and later go back to the hotel. The squad is expected to leave for Mumbai at 4 pm, he said.
The team will later take part in an open bus road show followed by a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Team India's schedule on Thursday July 4:
The flight from Barbados lands around 6am IST on June 4.
The team leaves for PM Modi’s residence for reception at 11am IST.
After the meeting, they take a chartered flight to Mumbai.
Drive from Mumbai airport to Wankhede Stadium.
A 1 km long open-top bus parade from Nariman Point to Wankhede Stadium.
A small presentation at Wankhede where the Indian team will be awarded the Rs 125 crore cash prize announced by the BCCI
