NEW DELHI: Fans set off firecrackers and poured into the streets in ecstatic celebrations across cricket-crazy New Delhi late Sunday after India’s four-wicket victory in the final of Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Dubai.

Packed with top global superstars, India had a long lean run since they lifted the 2013 Champions Trophy before winning the 2024 T20 World Cup title, only months after going down to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final in November 2023 on home soil in Ahmedabad.

“We are just very, very happy that India won,” Nandika, 25, who only uses one name, told AFP at a sports bar in New Delhi.

The young brand consultant saidshe was a big fan of superstars Virat Kohli, 36, and captain Rohit Sharma, 37.

There has been speculation going into the tournament about the future of the veteran duo in the game’s 50-over format after they announced their retirement from the national T20 team last year.

The pair were pivotal in India’s undefeated run at the Champions Trophy, with Sharma winning the player-of-the-match for his 83-ball 76 in the final.

“We have been watching Virat and Rohit play for years and (this) Indian team is really very good (and I hope) they will keep up” with their performances, Nandika added.

Hundreds of fans on motorbikes and cars, many setting off firecrackers, gathered on roads and streets across New Delhi.

Many gathered around the historic India Gate archway at the heart of New Delhi screaming, “we won! we won!”.

Pratham Aggarwal, 24, said that he came to the India Gate “to be with the crowds”.

“There are so many people here and we wanted to be here to celebrate the victory” with everyone, Aggarwal told AFP. “We recently won the World Cup in 2024 and now the Champions Trophy too. We all are very happy and excited that we have finally won it (again) after 2013,” he added.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that it was “an exceptional game and an exceptional result”.

“Proud of our cricket team for bringing home the ICC Champions Trophy,” Modi added. “They’ve played wonderfully through the tournament. Congratulations to our team for the splendid all around display”.

The president of India, Droupadi Murmu, also congratulated the national team.

“India becomes the only team to win the trophy thrice,” Murmu posted on X. “The players, the management and the support staff deserve highest accolades for creating cricketing history. I wish Indian cricket a very bright future,” she added.

India have played all their matches in Dubai after they refused to tour hosts Pakistan due to political tensions.

Yogendra Kumar, 32, a street vendor in New Delhi, said that he was “very happy that India has won”.

“We left our work to follow this match. They (the team) are the pride of our country and this time they brought the trophy back home,” Kumar added.

The Indian social media late Sunday was packed with videos from cities across the country of fans draped in the national tricolour flag celebrating by bursting firecrackers, shouting slogans, and honking on busy roads and key intersections.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2025