Rohit Sharma has opened up about the emotional journey of winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 for India, reflecting on the historic moment at the Naman Awards 2024 on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The Indian team had to wait for a few days to celebrate the victory, as they were stuck in Barbados due to a hurricane. The delay, however, did not dampen the excitement. Rohit shared that it was not until the team arrived in Mumbai that they truly realized the impact of their World Cup win.
Speaking at the Naman Awards, Rohit said, “Honestly, it took a while for me to realize we won the World Cup. Up until we came to Mumbai, we realized what we actually did. Unfortunately for us in Barbados, we were stuck there because of the hurricane. We were not able to go out. So, three or four days, we were there.”
Rohit described the experience as unforgettable and said it was a moment etched in his heart forever. “When you win an ICC trophy, you want to go and celebrate. Especially if you're not in the country, you want to bring it back to the country and celebrate with the fans. But up until we arrived in Mumbai and we saw the glimpse of it, the next morning when I woke up, I realized it was very, very special what we did,” he added.
India's seven-run victory over South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup final in June 2024 ended their long title drought. The dramatic final in Barbados saw Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav play key roles in the win. Kohli was named Player of the Match for his 76-run performance. Rohit Sharma, along with Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, retired from T20I cricket after the victory. The Indian cricket team is now focused on the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.