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Fans set off firecrackers and poured into the streets in ecstatic celebrations across cricket-crazy Mumbai late Sunday after India`s four-wicket victory in the final of Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Dubai.
The world number`s one ODI team, India finished unbeaten in the eight-nation tournament played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Packed with top global superstars, India had a long lean run since they lifted the 2013 Champions Trophy before winning the 2024 T20 World Cup title, only months after going down to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final in November 2023 on home soil in Ahmedabad.
The Indian social media late Sunday was packed with videos from cities across the country of fans draped in the national tricolour flag celebrating by bursting firecrackers, shouting slogans, and honking on busy roads and key intersections.
Amid the festivities, a hilarious video featuring captain Rohit Sharma following India’s Champions Trophy win had the internet in stitches. In the clip, the 37-year-old Sharma comically forgets to take along the trophy as he steps out of the press conference room. Watch video below.
— gocvideo (@gocvideo) March 10, 2025
Both Rohit and Virat Kohli, 36, had a lean run of form in India`s 3-1 Test defeat in Australia earlier this year and the pair came into the tournament with speculation swirling over their ODI retirements.
“I want to clarify that I am not going anywhere, I am not retiring from this format,” Rohit told reporters at the end of a long post-match press conference at the Dubai International Stadium. He said a lot of rumours have been doing the rounds around his retirement, but he will stay on.
Rohit has led India to their second successive ICC title after the team lifted the T20 World Cup in Barbados last year. Rohit, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja all retired from the shorter format after the triumph. India, under Rohit, ended runners-up in the 2023 ODI World Cup after they lost the final to Australia in Ahmedabad. His 83-ball knock laced with seven fours and three sixes was Rohit`s first half-century in this tournament where India, who played all their matches in Dubai, were unbeaten in the five games they played.
India have dropped just one match in three ICC tournaments since the ODI World Cup where the home team came unbeaten into the final. Rohit`s team remained unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies and extended the run in this Champions Trophy.
(With agency inputs)
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