New Delhi [India], August 13 : Former speedster Rudra Pratap Singh recalled the moment when a fan tossed a cake towards him and asked him to cut it during India's victory parade in Mumbai after the fabled T20 World Cup title victory in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007.
More than seventeen years ago, India etched their names in the history books by lifting the inaugural T20 World Cup title in front of a jam-packed crowd at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
Under Mumbai's gloomy sky, India held an open bus victory parade, and fans turned up in numbers to welcome the crowned champions. The 39-year-old shared a less-heard story that took place during the moment of jubilation.
"We won the T20 World Cup in South Africa, celebrated there, and then landed in Dubai, where a few people congratulated us for lifting the trophy. When we finally landed in Mumbai, we thought we had achieved something special, but the celebration parade was beyond anything I had imagined," RP Singh said in the latest episode of JioHotstar special 'Cheeky Singles'.
"The roads were closed, and people were throwing things, chocolates, and even a small cake that someone tossed towards me saying, 'Please hold it and cut it.' I told them, 'Don't do this, it might fall.' It was raining, yet the crowds' energy was electric, with people celebrating wildly alongside us," he added.
In the final, it was India's arch-rival, Pakistan, who stood as the final hurdle between MS Dhoni's side and the coveted title. In a nerve-wracking thriller, a collective effort from the players got India across the line, crowning them as the first team to clinch the title.
He played a pivotal role in steering India to the famed title. Rudra Pratap spearheaded India's lethal pace attack and concluded the tournament as the second-highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps. He announced his international retirement in 2018 after making 82 appearances for India across all formats and scythed 124 wickets.