New Delhi: A galaxy of film stars, led by Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, and Anupam Kher, to Kajol Devgn and Raveena Tandon, and a galaxy of other 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.
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!!”
Chiranjeevi’s superstar counterpart in Malayalam cinema, Mohanlal, an avid cricket fan, had this to say: “And that ends India”s 11-year wait for an ICC trophy! Team India brings home glory from Barbados, thanks to incredible teamwork, a crucial partnership between Virat Kohli and Axar Patel, and a devastating spell from Jasprit Bumrah, serving up a gripping game that kept us on the edge of our seats until the very last ball! Couldn’t be prouder of this team!”
Gushed Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, “What a final!!! Congrats, India, and well played, South Africa. Super World Cup … let us have more cricket in the West Indies and USA!!”
Ritesh Aggarwal, founder-CEO of Oyo Rooms, shared the sense of elation sweeping India. “Unbelievable performance by the entire team!” Aggarwal commented on X. “Though I could not be there in person, this feeling is unreal! Still buzzing from the electrifying India vs Pak match. What a journey it has been.”
Bollywood diva Kajol took to Instagram to share her fangirl moment: “I’m still screaming and can’t get the smile off my face … So so happy and so so proud! So many heroes who performed at this match … truly a team effort!”
Raveena Tandon, who carried a picture of her celebrating holding up the Tricolour, said: “Just amazing #teamindia. Many many congratulations! You don’t know how happy you’ve made your country! What a win!!!!! Bharat Mata ki Jai!!!!!!”
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.
Ananya Panday was equally brief, but expressed the sentiments of millions when she described Team India as “our true champions”.
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.”
An emotional Ayushmann Khurana commented: “Whatta match! Whatta bunch! This Indian team has given joy to billions of Indians. We are the world champions! The superpower of cricket! Our generation is the luckiest to see India emerge as the World Cup winners thrice since 2007. Two T20s and one ODI. Learning and taking cues from the last ODI World Cup final, here we are as bona fide winners! Jai Hind!”
Randeep Hooda was a little more analytical. He said: “From the land of batsmen comes a bowling squad that wins it!! Bumrah is the God of swing & Arshdeep & Axar (batsmen too) .. Kohli the bat & Rohit the revenge … heart goes to #SA too, so close and so far too many times … thank you Rahul Dravid.”
Kartik Aaryan, the young Bollywood star who most recently played Paralympian Murlikant Petkar on the big screen, cheered “Team India, who refused to surrender.” He added: “Ab World Cup nahin, dil jeet liya hamesha ke liye (You have won not only not only the World Cup, but our hearts forever). Historic Win!”
–IANS
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