'I cried for each player after their victory' - Robin Uthappa, R Ashwin share emotional moment post T20 World Cup win

Robin Uthappa and Ravichandran Ashwin got emotional while interacting through a live session after India won the T20 World Cup 2024 final by beating South Africa by seven runs at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday, June 29.

The Men in Blue remained unbeaten in the competition and went on to become the third nation after West Indies and England to win two T20 World Cup titles. Ashwin fought back tears while reacting to the monumental result that helped India end their 11-year-long wait for an ICC title.

“Unbelievable (the win). I have watched cricket through the years, I have played it, I have won trophies such as the World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013. But, the way that the players emoted upon winning, what it meant to them all, with Dravid bowing out in 2007 to Rohit and Virat coming so close to winning multiple titles, it was truly a full circle moment without any doubt,” stated an inspired and moved Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

Had you talked to me 20 minutes earlier, I would have been in tears: Uthappa

Meanwhile, Uthappa was in tears as he summed up the pain of Indian cricket fans and the players during the ICC title drought. The former India cricketer thanked every player of the World Cup-winning team for bringing glory to the nation.

“Had you talked to me 20 minutes earlier, I would have been in tears. I was so full of emotion, thinking about each individual player and what they had been through,” said Uthappa.

“To have put with the criticism, the trolling, to go through the struggles and hardships and hate, is not easy. For people to keep continually doubting your ability, you begin to doubt yourself at some point, and you begin to ask yourself, “Is it possible?” I could feel every person’s emotion so strongly. I cried for each of them after their victory. I thanked God, and I now thank every cricketer who has played for India. This win was so long in the making,” Uthappa mentioned as he shed tears of elation and relief after the win.

India posted 176/7 in their 20 overs after opting to bat first. In reply, South Africa were restricted to 169/8. Virat Kohli starred with the bat, scoring 76 off 59 balls and was adjudged Player of the Match.