It's been exactly a month and one day since our cricket-mad nation erupted in joy as India defeated South Africa by seven wickets to win the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados. The wait was long. 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023 – everybody thought we were there, only to endure one heartbreak after the other. After 2011 and 2013, India had gone 11 years without an ICC title. In between, so much happened. MS Dhoni retired, careers began and ended, but the wait to lift an ICC silverware, let alone the World Cup only grew agonisingly long.

Until came June 29, 2024 to ease off the pain of the last so many years. With the win, Indian cricket said goodbye to two of its biggest stalwarts of all time – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – from T20 internationals. Tears flew down their cheeks, and who could blame them. They had seen so much together. From winning their first World Cup to having witnessed disappointment up close and personal, to finally riding into the sunset together. Fairytale endings are seldom in sports, but when they play out, there is no better sight in the world.

From the moment the T20 World Cup was won, the entire nation of 1.6 billion people of India awaited the arrival of their heroes. The players were supposed to return on the July 1, but Hurricane Beryl threw a spanner into the works. The players, support staff and the entire Indian media contingent were stranded in Bridgetown and Barbados after their flights were cancelled. It was a Category 5 natural disaster that forced the city to shut down for two days. Eventually, BCCI president Jay Shah came to the rescue and arranged a Chartered Flight after airports resumed following a 48-hour-long halt.

AIC24WC became one of the most tracked flight in history as the entire Indian contingent got ready to come back home with the World Cup trophy. After a 16-hour long flight from Barbados, the Delhi-bound aircraft finally landed in the Capital around 6AM on July 4, not surprisingly, to a sea of fans eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of their heroes. It was a busy day ahead. The team had to go meet the Prime Minster of India before flying to Mumbai for a Road Show and a felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium. Jetlag? What's that?

However, it were the inside-flight details that even after almost a month, get us hooked. A lot has already been spoken and talked about as to the events that took place inside the aircraft, such as players talking openly to the media – off the record – the pilot announcing a special message for departing coach Rahul Dravid among other things. An early morning BCCI footage showed Kohli holding the trophy as he would hold Vamika and Akaay. But even as the memories of India's T20 World Cup come rushing back, more details continue to emerge from India's flight from Barbados to Delhi. Some new and interesting revelations were made by a Star Sports producer, who was travelling with the team, one that only captures the mood the team was in.

What happened inside the flight

"On this flight, Barbados to Delhi, I think hardly anyone slept for more than six hours. That would have been the maximum. At no point was anyone quiet. Everyone was mingling around. Players came to meet the members of the press and few others. Star Sports engineers were also part of the flight because theirs was cancelled and they were also accommodated. But there was a lot of interaction. Rohit Sharma came several times. I believe at one moment, Rahul Dravid came up to the economy section to figure out if there was a 4-seater because he wanted to sleep. He came there from the business class and slept there for some time," the producer said.

"I remember I was sleeping and I could suddenly hear Rohit scolding somebody. I saw and he was standing right there. But Rohit, in his style was scolding jokingly. After that, Hardik came, Rishabh came and they were all having discussions with the media. So obviously, there was a lot of chatter."

The flight took off from Barbados at 4:00 AM local time the previous day but it wasn't until landing that everyone realised the magnitude of the win. Upon de-boarding, airport staff awaited the team at the aerobridge, phones out and clapping. The team was ushered through a different exit, and outside the airport, thousands of people had gathered, many of whom chased after the bus as it departed.

Then again, it's not every year that you win a World Cup.

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