Rohit hails India WC win as ‘dream come true for a billion’

NEW DELHI: World Cup-winning skipper Rohit Sharma said his team’s victory was a “dream come true” for India, as he awaited his return home to a hero’s welcome.

The T20 triumph ended more than a decade of heartache after India’s previous World Cup win came in the 50-over version in 2011. “The team and I are very proud to be able to bring the cup home and are truly touched by how much happiness it has brought everyone back home,” Rohit said in a post on social media on Monday. He also posted a picture of himself lying flat on his back with his eyes closed, wearing his blue team kit.

“This picture epitomises how I’m feeling right now,” he said. “Right now I’m basking in a dream come true for a billion of us.” India won a thrilling final by seven runs in Barbados on Saturday to clinch their first global tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

It was not clear when the Indian team would arrive home, with Indian media on Monday reporting they were stuck in Barbados, delayed by Hurricane Beryl. Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, announced around 25 people in the team, coaching and support staff would share nearly $15 million in prize money, a reward for their “talent, determination, and sportsmanship”. The bonus is in addition to a record prize pool of $11.25 million for the tournament, of which India will receive $2.45 million.