Rohit Sharma went viral earlier this year for a funny comment picked up by the stump mic during the Test series against England. The quote was everywhere for months. Even at the T20 World Cup champions Team India's recent felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede stadium, Rohit was surprisingly left speechless. Speaking of the T20 World Cup, India dominated the tournament, becoming the first ever team to win every single match. They secured eight victories and one no-result due to rain. India finally ended their 11-year-long ICC trophy drought by lifting the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy on June 29 in Barbados.
During the India's felicitation ceremony, the presenter Gaurav Kapur brought this up next, leaving Rohit speechless with an unusual question.
“You have become the first team to win the men's T20 World Cup undefeated. You did not lose a single game. It was a complete team effort. Is it safe to say ek bhi mein koi ek minute keliye garden mein nahi ghooma?,” Gaurav asked.
Rohit's laughter echoed through the ecstatic Wankhede crowd, infecting even his teammates Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya who were seated front and center. Despite the lighthearted moment, Rohit, a two-time T20 World Cup champion (having won in 2007 under MS Dhoni), quickly turned his focus to the fans, dedicating the title to the entire nation.
"Firstly… since we came to India, it's been wonderful. The reception we've received here tells you the kind of enthusiasm people had for this trophy. Yes, of course, it means so much for us but it's for the entire nation. Along with all the players who have represented the country, I think the people who've been wanting us to win the trophy, it [trophy] belongs to them," Rohit said at the Team India's felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede stadium.
Rohit didn't shy away from crediting Hardik Pandya for his last-over heroics in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa where he defended 16 runs.
"Hardik was bowling the last crucial over for us. Hats off to him for that last. You know how many over you need to defend, there is always so much pressure to bowl that over, hats off to him," Rohit added.
After being stuck in the hurricane-ravaged Barbados following their T20 World Cup title triumph, the victorious Indian cricket team finally touched down in New Delhi on Thursday, July 4. After a long 16-hour flight, they started their day with a celebratory breakfast meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence. The team then flew to Mumbai, where an enthusiastic crowd awaited them at Nariman Point for an open-air bus parade. Their journey culminated at the Wankhede Stadium for a special felicitation ceremony.
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