T20 World Cup 2024: Hardik Pandya claims to fans in Mumbai, “You mean the world to me!”
Xtra Time Web Desk: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya shared an emotional message following the overwhelming reception he received in Mumbai during India’s open-bus parade. Pandya, who faced a challenging season with the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024, was welcomed with massive chants at the Mumbai airport—the very place where he was once booed.
On Thursday, July 4, the Indian vice-captain experienced an emotional rollercoaster. Despite facing criticism from Mumbai fans during the IPL 2024 season, Pandya played a pivotal role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 victory in Barbados, earning a hero’s welcome in his home city. The celebrations included meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Water Salute at the Mumbai airport, and an open-bus parade through Marine Drive.
Read More: T20 World Cup 2024: The crowd roared “Vande Mataram” with the champs in Wankhede!
Pandya was moved to tears when Rohit Sharma credited India’s T20 World Cup win to his outstanding performance. Later, Pandya expressed his gratitude on Twitter, saying:
"India, you mean the world to me! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the love... these are moments that I will never ever forget! Thank you for coming out to celebrate with us, despite the rains! We love you so much! Celebrating with you is why we do what we do! We’re all champions! All 1.4 billion of us! Thank you Mumbai, thank you India."
India, you mean the world to me! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the love.. these are moments that I will never ever forget! Thank you for coming out to celebrate with us, despite the rains! We love you so much! Celebrating with you is why we do what we do! We’re… pic.twitter.com/c18lLrPJ1q
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) July 4, 2024
The support from fans was palpable. At the Mumbai airport, a fan publicly apologized to Pandya for previously abusing him during the IPL 2024 season. The fan expressed regret on live TV, apologizing for the harsh words directed at Pandya when he took over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians (MI) from Rohit Sharma. Under Pandya's leadership, MI struggled and finished at the bottom of the points table, drawing criticism from fans and experts alike.
The apologetic fan stated, "First and foremost, I want to say sorry to Hardik Pandya. I don’t know why I trolled him in the first place. I am very sorry. The last over was amazing. And I want to say sorry. Why did I even say anything wrong about you? I don’t know."
Read More: T20 World Cup 2024: Exhausted Kohli flies off to London impatiently to meet Anushka and kids!
The fan was referring to Pandya's remarkable performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa. Pandya's crucial wickets in the final overs, including dismissing Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, were instrumental in India’s seven-run victory.
Pandya's journey from being booed to being celebrated is a testament to his resilience and dedication. His heartfelt message and the public apology he received highlight the emotional connection between the players and their fans, proving that in the world of sports, redemption and admiration often go hand in hand.
