NEW DELHI: To mark the 50th anniversary of

Wankhede Stadium

, cricketer Shikhar Dhawan shared a heartfelt tribute, reflecting on the countless unforgettable moments and the electrifying atmosphere of this iconic venue.
In his post, Dhawan highlighted the stadium’s unmatched energy, with the resounding chants of “India! India!” symbolising the undying passion of Indian

cricket

fans.

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The accompanying video featured a special moment where the crowd erupted with chants of “Gabbar! Gabbar!” in honor of their beloved cricketer.

In his signature style, Dhawan responded to the fans' affection with his iconic 'Thigh Five' celebration, a gesture of gratitude to acknowledge their unwavering support.
"Half a century of the iconic Wankhede Stadium, with so many unforgettable moments. ‘India! India!’ ki awaaz... Wankhede ki hawa mein aaj bhi woh Josh hai!," Dhawan wrote on his Instagram handle.

India captain Rohit Sharma, who has brought two ICC trophies to Wankhede Stadium — the 2007 T20 World Cup as a player and the 2024 T20 World Cup as skipper — pledged on Sunday to do his best to add the 2025 Champions Trophy to the iconic venue's legacy of celebrations.
The 37-year-old made this promise during a function organized by the

Mumbai Cricket Association

(MCA) to commemorate Wankhede Stadium’s 50th anniversary.
"I am sure when we reach Dubai the wishes of 140 crore people will be with us. We will try to win it and bring the (ICC Champions Trophy) back here at the Wankhede," said Rohit.

Rohit shared his desire to celebrate the 2024 T20 World Cup victory at Wankhede, a venue he holds close to his heart.
“We were locked inside the hotel in Barbados. But winning the World Cup and celebrating it with your people is a different thing. You celebrate anyway with your players and teams but celebrating it with your people is a different feeling and I knew that would happen only once we were back in Mumbai.
“It was my dream to play cricket here at Wankhede since I was a kid. Irrespective of who plays here, India, Mumbai or Mumbai Indians, the crowd never disappoints and that’s why it’s a different feeling when you play here.
“When we returned from South Africa after winning the (T20) World Cup, I dreamt about winning another World Cup and bringing it here.”
Reflecting on the post-victory moments, Rohit said, “I remember, we were still in Barbados after winning the (T20) World Cup and we were stuck there due to a storm but planning was in process as to what we will do once we are back in India. It was planned that we would go to (New) Delhi but what after that?
"No one knew what to do after that but I wanted that World Cup (trophy) to come here at Wankhede. Each of the World Cups which we have won in 2007 and 2011 have been celebrated at Wankhede and bringing the trophy of 2024 was also very important for us.
"When we celebrated here the stands were full, even today it is full which is special about Wankhede," said Rohit, who received the loudest cheers after Sachin Tendulkar from the enthusiastic crowd.

Rohit also reminisced about his first visit to the stadium, which ignited his dream of playing for the country.
"Wankhede is one ground where every cricketer dreams of playing here and seeing them come to reality. It is good to dream and to see them come to reality and I have watched and played cricket since my childhood because the atmosphere at this ground is very different. Every cricketer loves to come here and play cricket so that is the feeling you get at Wankhede," said Rohit.