Mumbai, July 5 (Udaipur Kiran): Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has praised all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s brilliant bowling in the final over against South Africa during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final.
The Indian team won the prestigious T20 World Cup trophy for the second time after defeating South Africa by seven wickets in Barbados on June 29. Rohit announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game after winning the T20 World Cup final.
The Mumbai-born cricketer expressed his emotions at a felicitation ceremony held at the Wankhede Stadium in the joy of winning the trophy.
“This trophy is for the whole country. We want to dedicate it to all the players who have represented the country, along with our fans who have waited for 11 years,” Rohit said during the event.
In addition, the opener praised and thanked the spectators present at the Wankhede Stadium.
“Mumbai never disappoints. We got a great welcome. On behalf of the team, we want to thank the fans. I am very happy and relieved,” said the right-handed batsman.
Finally, this great batsman appreciated Pandya’s brilliant bowling in the final over.
“Hardik was bowling the last over for us. Hats off to him for bowling the last over. You know, no matter how many runs you need, there is always a lot of pressure to bowl that over. But hats off to him,” he said.
The all-rounder, who made a big contribution in the final with the crucial wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, performed well with both bat and ball and became the first Indian player to reach number 1 in this category.
Hardik Pandya performed impressively in the lower order with the bat and also succeeded with the ball when the team needed him. He scored 144 runs at a batting strike rate of over 150 and also took 11 wickets.
Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the 20-over format after winning the T20 World Cup 2024. With 4231 runs in 159 matches, Rohit is the highest scorer in this format. He also holds the record for most centuries (five) in T20 Internationals. He has won two T20 World Cups: the first in 2007 while competing and the current 2024 as captain.
Members of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup were given a grand reception on Thursday during a victory parade from Marine Drive to the Wankhede Stadium in an open-top bus after their arrival in Mumbai from Delhi. A group of fans cheering and chanting slogans were welcoming the team in the joy of winning the World Cup. The team members also greeted them with smiles and waves, reciprocating the sentiments of the fans.
Captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli raised the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy and showed it to the large number of fans present along the way. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and Board Vice President Rajiv Shukla, who were also present in the bus with the players, celebrated the occasion. During this celebration, the players wrapped themselves in the tricolor.
Some fans even climbed trees to get a better view of the players. The players waved to the enthusiastic cricket fans holding the trophy. Rohit held the hand of team head coach Rahul Dravid and batsman Suryakumar Yadav, and all three folded their hands towards the sky, signaling the team’s victory. The team then reached the Wankhede Stadium.
Earlier, Team India arrived in Mumbai for the victory parade and were given a warm welcome. A group of fans was present at Marine Drive to welcome the team that showed patience, determination and resilience to win the World Cup in the West Indies. The felicitation ceremony was held at the Wankhede Stadium after the victory parade.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.