Rohit Sharna-led Team India has finally boarded their flight back to Delhi from Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport on Wednesday after a successful T20 World Cup campaign. The Air India chartered flight carrying the world champions is reportedly expected to touch down in New Delhi on Thursday at approximately 6:20 am (IST). Their arrival was delayed after they got stranded in the Caribbean due to a category 4 hurricane.
The special Air India charter flight, designated AIC24WC (Air India Champions 24 World Cup) took off around 4:50 am local time, news reports said. The flight carries the Indian players, their families, support staff, board officials, and Indian journalists who were stranded in the Caribbean following the tournament.
Confirming the journey back home, Rohit Sharma shared a photo on Instagram, posing with the trophy inside the aircraft. He captioned the post "Coming home." The same caption was used by Mohammed Siraj as well while posing with the trophy inside the plane.
Arranged by the BCCI, the Boeing 777 started its journey from New Jersey on July 2 and landed in Barbados around 2 am local time, the Times Of India said in a report. Airport staff at the Grantley Adams International Airport said that it is the largest aircraft ever to land at their aircraft, the report added.
The Indian team was originally set to depart for New Delhi around 6 pm local time on July 2 and reach by 7:45 pm (IST) on Wednesday. However, the departure was delayed due to the late arrival of the plane.
Multiple media reports claim that the World T20 champions will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function in New Delhi on Thursday morning.
