Tendulkar leads in Mumbai Indians IPL triumph celebrations

Kolkata - It was celebrations galore at the Eden Gardens on Sunday night as Mumbai Indians deliriously celebrated their first Indian Premier League (IPL) triumph by spilling out into the Eden Gardens and holding aloft the golden IPL trophy amid a heady shower of confetti and fireworks.

As sparks enveloped the boisterous men in blue, the enraptured squad beat their chests in a show of triumph.

It turned out to be an emotional moment for the iconic Tendulkar, who announced his retirement from IPL, minutes after watching from the dugout his side’s fantastic win over the Chennai Indians in the final.

The Master Blaster had to sit out the game owing to wrist and hand injuries.

As Tendulkar bid adieu to the cash-rich league, his teammates clamoured to get him at the centre while posing for group photographs.

It was an invasion of blue on the green turf of the iconic stadium as Mumbai Indians smashed away to a 23-run victory over two-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 6 finals.

Linking arms, the Mumbai “paltan” headed by Tendulkar broke through the barrier outlining the field to hug and embrace their team mates on the pitch.

Fireworks burst through the night sky in honour of the Mumbaikars who spilled on the field and broke into dance steps.

Harbhajan Singh, or Bhajji as he is affectionately called, took the lead by doing a round of Bhangra in front of TV cameras.

Waving flags of the squad, the entire Mumbai Indians ensemble did a victory lap with Tendulkar being hoisted into the air by his ecstatic team mates.

Tendulkar’s wife Anjali also joined in minutes later.

Caribbean Kieron Pollard, who finished as the man of the match, was seen shouldering skipper Rohit Sharma as the rest of the team thumped and congratulated the pair amid the Mumbai Indians theme song “Duniya Hila Denge Hum“.

Bhajji graciously obliged fans with snaps.