The week-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Wankhede Stadium ended with a gala evening on Sunday, in the presence of cricketing legends and dignitaries. The event was graced by Mumbai legends and former and current Indian cricket captains, including Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Ajinkya Rahane, and Diana Edulji. Mumbai's legendary men's and women's players from both domestic and international cricket were also present.
During the event, batting legend Gavaskar broke into bhangra and also joined singer Shekhar Ravjiani in singing 'Om Shanti Om' song. The video of the 75-year-old dance moves immediately went viral on social media. In a separate video, India captain Rohit was seen pointing towards Shreyas Iyer from the stage and invited him to join him and show some dance moves. The India batter was left in splits at the request.
Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, sent a letter to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) earlier this week to congratulate them on the 50th anniversary of Wankhede Stadium. Meanwhile, MCA President Ajinkya Naik called Wankhede Stadium the shining star of Indian cricket that would never be deemed.
{{/usCountry}}Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, sent a letter to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) earlier this week to congratulate them on the 50th anniversary of Wankhede Stadium. Meanwhile, MCA President Ajinkya Naik called Wankhede Stadium the shining star of Indian cricket that would never be deemed.
{{/usCountry}}"Wankhede Stadium is that shining star of Indian cricket that would never be deemed, and the 50-year legacy is testimony to that. As we honour the ones who have been associated with the legacy of Wankhede and have contributed their bit in this glorious journey, we also stand on the threshold of a new era that will nurture the next 50 years of excellence in cricket. Wankhede is as synonymous with Mumbai as is Mumbaikar's association with cricket. I am confident the legacy will only grow multifold in the coming decades."
Champions Trophy next for Iyer, Rohit
India's next assignment is the white-ball series against England at home. The hosts will play five T20Is starting January 22 and three ODIs, starting February 6. While Iyer and Rohit have been rested from the T20I contest, they will feature in the 50-over format in a bid to prepare for the Champions Trophy next month.