An eight-day mission for NASA astronaut Sunita Williams to the International Space Station (ISS) turned out to be a challenge of a lifetime as problems cropped up on her Boeing space flight that stretched her stay in orbit to over nine months.
Welcome back, #SunitaWilliams and crew!
Space travel is never easy, but true explorers like you embody the spirit of embracing the unknown.
After spending nine long months in space, you’ve finally touched down safely.
Although the journey lasted longer than planned, your… pic.twitter.com/8Zo8m1Xd0g
— Harish Rao Thanneeru (@BRSHarish) March 19, 2025
While the world celebrates her safe return to Earth, cricket enthusiasts have found their own reason for excitement. Williams embarked on her space mission shortly after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final and has now returned just days before the commencement of the next season. This amusing coincidence did not go unnoticed by fans, with one X (formerly Twitter) user highlighting the timing and others playfully suggesting that even space couldn`t keep her away from cricket.
“Sunita Williams went to space in June 2024, a few days after the 2024 IPL Final, and is back in March 2025, a few days before the 2025 IPL season kicks off. She ain’t missing no IPL match,” humorously noted an user.
Sunita Williams went to space in June 2024, a few days after the 2024 IPL Final, and is back in March 2025, a few days before the 2025 IPL season kicks off. She ain`t missing no IPL match.
— Zucker Doctor (@DoctorLFC) March 19, 2025
dil se Indian. 🙏
— Arun (@SUPnurA) March 19, 2025
Proper cricket fan of india 🙄😂
— . (@HasnaMatBhai) March 19, 2025
Make sure that space organisation should start a mission before every Major Tournament on International level
— Mausam (@Mausam01097031) March 19, 2025
Another linked Williams` mission to India`s recent cricketing success, writing, “The reason behind India’s two ICC trophies none is talking about”, while a third user suggested, “Make sure that space organisations start a mission before every major international tournament.”
Another fan went to the extent of drawing a parallel to MS Dhoni’s legendary status, stating, “Who knows she might have been inspired by Thala”. Meanwhile, another user jokingly speculated, “So, shall we assume that this script was also written by Jay Shah?”
Williams and Wilmore bid farewell to the ISS, their home since last June, departing aboard a SpaceX capsule alongside two other astronauts.
The capsule undocked from the space station on Tuesday and splashed down off the Florida coast on Wednesday morning after clocking 286 days in space. This was Williams` third space flight and she has clocked a cumulative 608 days in space.
A former US Navy captain, Williams, 59, was born to a Gujarati father Deepak Pandya hailing from Jhulasan in Mehsana district and Slovenian mother Ursuline Bonnie Pandya on September 19, 1965 in Euclid, Ohio.
Proud of her multicultural roots, Williams has carried symbols of her heritage to space, including samosas, a Slovenian flag and Ganesha idol during previous missions. On her third mission to the ISS in June last year along with Wilmore, which lasted for 286 days, Williams also created history by setting a record for the most time spent in spacewalking by a woman.
