The Indian cricket team, victorious in the T20 World Cup 2024, encountered delays leaving Barbados due to hurricane threats, finally departing on Wednesday via a special flight organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Originally scheduled to depart on Sunday post their victory, the team, along with Indian media covering the tournament, remained confined in their hotel due to Hurricane Beryl. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah arranged the chartered flight, which also accommodates the Indian squad, support staff, players’ families, board officials, and stranded media personnel.
The team’s departure was postponed after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Barbados, causing disruptions in electricity and water supply, prompting safety measures including a curfew. The Boeing 777, which arrived from New Jersey, USA, landed in Barbados and facilitated the team’s return journey. They are expected to reach Delhi on July 4, early morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to felicitate the players upon their arrival, with plans underway for a celebratory road-show in Mumbai to honor the team’s triumph, marking an end to an 11-year trophy drought.