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.