Several heartwarming moments unfolded after India’s emphatic victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final on Sunday night in Ahmedabad. One particular moment that captured fans’ attention was the emotional meeting between two former T20 World Cup champions.
Two-time T20 World Cup winner Rohit Sharma shared a warm embrace with 2007 T20 World Cup winner and current Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir at the Narendra Modi Stadium. A video from the stadium quickly went viral, showing Gambhir walking up to Rohit and hugging him after the historic win. Jay Shah, President of the International Cricket Council, was also present and later joined the celebratory embrace.
The moment reflected a defining trait of Indian cricket culture—deep respect among players, both past and present. Rarely do Indian cricketers publicly exchange harsh words with each other, making such moments even more meaningful.
Former India captain MS Dhoni, who led India to the historic 2007 T20 World Cup triumph, was also in attendance as India defeated New Zealand national cricket team by a massive 96 runs.
Dhoni puts differences aside
In the past, Gambhir has occasionally been critical of Dhoni—one of the rare instances of public disagreement in Indian cricket. Gambhir, along with players like Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh, had previously suggested that Dhoni played a role in their international careers ending earlier than expected following India’s 2011 World Cup victory.
However, Dhoni showed great sportsmanship on Sunday night and congratulated Gambhir and the team wholeheartedly. In an Instagram post, the legendary former captain—still the only skipper to win all three major ICC white-ball trophies—wrote:
“History gets created at Ahmedabad. Big congratulations to the team, support staff, and fans of the Indian cricket team worldwide. Such a pleasure to see all of you play. Coach Sahab’s smile looks great on you. Intensity with a smile is a killer combo—very well done. Enjoy guys. (BUMRAH ke baare mein kuch na likhoon tou hi acha hai. CHAMPION BOWLER).”
The night was filled with memorable moments as India celebrated a historic win. Although Rohit Sharma retired from T20 internationals after leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title, he continues to play ODIs and has his sights set on next year’s 50-over World Cup—the only white-ball ICC trophy that has eluded him so far.
Perhaps, the future may bring another opportunity for Rohit Sharma to celebrate with the Indian team and share another memorable hug with the head coach.
