Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis, and Ajit Pawar hosted the players following their victory in the T20 World Cup. India captain Rohit Sharma showcased his humorous side while addressing members of the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan on Friday during a felicitation ceremony for the cricketers who triumphed in the T20 World Cup. The assembly greeted Sharma with chants of “Mumbai Cha Raja Rohit Sharma,” reminiscent of the fan atmosphere at the Wankhede Stadium.
Rohit Sharma expressed gratitude towards Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for hosting the Mumbai-based players of the T20 World Cup-winning team and honoring them. Rohit lightened the mood by joking about Suryakumar Yadav’s crucial catch from the final against South Africa.
“After Surya caught the ball, he told me that the ball sat in his hand. Thank goodness, it sat in his hand. Otherwise, I would have sat him out,” Rohit quipped, leaving the assembly in laughter.
Four team members—Rohit Sharma, Shivam Dube, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Suryakumar Yadav—were felicitated at the event. Earlier, the Chief Minister had presented the players with a shawl and an idol of Lord Ganesha at his residence.
Both Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav addressed the assembly in Marathi. Ajit Pawar acknowledged the critical nature of Suryakumar’s catch, emphasizing that it was pivotal to India’s victory.
The ceremony, held in the Central Hall, saw legislators and assembly staff honor the team with a statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The celebrated catch took place in the final over in Barbados on June 29, with Suryakumar securing a challenging catch to dismiss David Miller, ultimately sealing a 7-run victory for India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised Suryakumar’s catch during a breakfast with the T20 World champions in New Delhi, likening it to Kapil Dev’s iconic catch in the 1983 World Cup final.
