From Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to a galaxy of film stars, from Chiranjeevi and Anupam Kher to Anil Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna, celebrities from all walks of life joined a delirious nation to cheer Team India for pulling off an incredible T20 World Cup win against South Africa at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Saturday night.
“The Indian team has made the entire nation proud with their outstanding all-round performance. Well done, champions!” said Odisha’s former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Celebrated screenwriter and poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar was brimming over with pride as he took to X to write: “Calm, cool, focused, together and determined to win. Our whole nation stands to learn so much from these boys!!! Congratulations and thank you Cricket Team of India.”
Shashi Tharoor, Thiruvananthapuram’s Congress MP and one of the country’s leading public intellectuals, expressed the sentiments of numerous fans when he wrote on X: “Team India won the greatest and most exciting cricket match I have ever seen! Bereft of words … seeing the emotions of the players on both sides on the TV screen says it all … A privilege to be alive and able to witness such a contest. Well played South Africa — and congratulations to the magnificent #BoysInBlue!!”
Tollywood’s Mega Star Chiranjeevi could not contain his joy, like every other Indian. Going on X, he commented: “INDIA ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!! What an ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC way to win the ICC T20 World Cup after 17 long years!!! Bravo Virat Kohli!”
Continuing with his roll of honour, Chiranjeevi said: “Take a bow Bumrah, Hardik, Axar, Arshdeep and the triumphant captain Rohit Sharma and the entire team for the superb performances!!! And that out-of-the-world catch by Surya Kumar Yadav is just WOW!!”
Ritesh Aggarwal, founder-CEO of Oyo Rooms, commented: “Unbelievable performance by the entire team! Though I couldn’t be there in person, this feeling is unreal! Still buzzing from the electrifying India vs Pak match. What a journey it has been.”
Senior actor Anupam Kher could only exclaim “India” like an excited child in a toy store as he took to Instagram Reels to celebrate India’s historic win after 2007.
Anil Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna forwarded the BCCI’s celebratory post on X that simply said: “CHAMPIONS!”
Rising Bollywood star Varun Dhawan had more to say. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “What a team what performances @rohitsharma45 leading from the front in every game @virat.kohli the #goat playing his last T20 for India bringing so much joy to every Indian. Rahul Dravid was always one of my most favourite players and now to see him win a World Cup as a coach hits the spot. Bharat Mata ki JAI.”
