India wins the T20 Cricket World Cup, asserting its dominance in the sport

India won the men’s cricket World Cup on Saturday, defeating South Africa, ending a tournament drought that lasted more than a decade, even as the country dominated the sport globally in other measures such as talent, money and influence.

The tournament was held on several Caribbean islands, with a few matches hosted in the United States, including a pop-up stadium in New York. When the final in Barbados ended with India declared champions, it was approaching midnight back home, with jubilant crowds pouring into the streets in many cities.

“I may get it in a few hours, but it’s a great feeling. Crossing the finish line is a great feeling for everyone,” said India captain Rohit Sharma, who toured the stadium with his daughter on his shoulders to thank the fans.

The match was very close, and very emotional, for India, partly because many of their senior players, including Sharma, 37, were nearing the end of their careers. India won the World Cup in T20, the shortest form of cricket, in 2007, when Sharma was making his debut. The jackpot also eluded Virat Kohli, 35, one of cricket’s most famous icons. Rahul Dravid, India’s coach, never won a World Cup during his long and brilliant career as a player.

All three men ended the night on a happy note, with Sharma and Kohli announcing their retirement from the fast-paced shortstop. Dravid, who has just completed his tenure as India coach, is usually calm and composed. But after the win, he started shouting and celebrating.

Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team. “You have won the World Cup on the field. But in India’s villages, streets and communities, you have won the hearts of our people,” Modi said in a speech at a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in New Delhi. Video message.

Cricket, watched by hundreds of millions of people, is a crucial part of India’s global brand – perhaps more important than the country’s film industry. Cricket’s governing body in India has sometimes been accused of using its huge economic clout to dictate terms around international cricket events, reflecting its status as the world’s richest shareholder and destination for the world’s best players.

Pointing out how rich cricket is in India, Jay Shah, Secretary, Board of Control for Cricket in India, said: Advertise On Sunday, about $15 million was allocated in bonuses to the winning players and support staff. This is in addition to approx The winner’s prize is $2.5 million Which comes with the cup.

The launch of the Indian Premier League in 2007 transformed a sport once seen as slow and cash-strapped. In just 17 years, the league’s brand value has surpassed $10 billion, making it one of the richest sports leagues in the world. Players routinely earn contracts worth more than $1 million for a season lasting about eight weeks, with the highest wages approaching $3 million.

India has also sought to share the sport’s riches with its female athletes. A country with a poor record on gender equality in the job market, it is a leader in efforts to make a career in team sports viable for women.

Last year, India launched a sister league to the IPL, the Women’s Super League, with a budget of $500 million—a similar investment to the men’s league—and it is already expanding opportunities for women in India and talent from around the world. The league’s wealth has led to increased investment at the grassroots level to develop more players. Long in the shadow of the men’s game, female players are now finding brand endorsements, more TV viewers, and thousands of spectators watching their matches.

The foreign players in both leagues – all of whom have large followings at home – represent a PR boost for India as they travel to play, using social media to spread admiration for the culture of a vastly diverse country.

And in India, a cricket-obsessed nation that closely follows players’ every move on and off the field, many of this generation of stars were role models who could help the country get the ball rolling on social issues, especially in public life, which remains male-dominated.

Sharma, the captain who is married to a sports management professional, and Kohli, who is married to an actress, often talk about the role their partners play in their careers. Sharma’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, and their daughter are often by his side during tours, while Kohli is often seen video chatting with his family from the stadium after matches.

“Our daughter’s biggest concern was whether all the players had someone to hug them after she saw them crying on TV,” Kohli’s wife Anushka Sharma said. Posted on social media After winning.

Jasprit Bumrah, who was named the best player in the World Cup, was giving an interview after receiving the award with his wife, broadcaster Sanjana Ganeshan. They were a couple working on tour. Behind them, amid the celebrations, was their 10-month-old baby being looked after in a stroller.

“Thank you so much for speaking to us, Jaspreet, and all the best to you…” Mrs Ganesan began as she ended the interview. But her husband hugged her before she could finish and then ran back to join his teammates in celebration.