Applause is too mild a word for the deafening, hysterically screamed ovation thrown from the stadium at Dhoni and the boys. The stadium, now packed to the rafters -- more so, my sportsdesk colleagues tell me, than any India ODI they've ever seen here -- takes a second of silence to confirm whether those faraway blue figures are indeed the team.

Then, it explodes.

The team takes the stage, lifts up the cup. Sheer jubilation passes over Wankhede Stadium, everyone feeling fortunate to have been there. Wait schmait. This was a moment of magic, celebrating a young band of Indian warriors we had all -- at some point of time during the tournament, even during Joginder Sharma's penultimate ball -- written off. We hoped for nothing, and they came back with the world. Also read: Video: Team India, back with the cup!

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