BARBADOS: India star batter Virat Kohli on Saturday announced his retirement from Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) after his team ended an 11-year global title drought by defeating South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final.
Kohli, who was adjudged the Player of the Match in the T20 World Cup 2024 final at the back of a gutsy half-century, shared it was his last match for India in the shortest format of the game.
“This was my last T20 World Cup, and this is what we wanted to achieve,” the right-handed batter said in the post-match presentation.
“One day you feel you can’t get a run, and then things happen. God is great, and I got the job done for the team on the day it mattered. Now or never, the last T20 for India wanted to make the most of it.
“Wanted to lift the cup, and respect the situation rather than force it. This was an open secret, it’s time for the next generation to take over, some amazing players will take the team forward and keep the flag waving high.
In response to a question regarding whether Virat Kohli foresees himself being carried on his teammates’ shoulders in his final T20I appearance, just like batting great Sachin Tendulkar ended his glittering ODI career, the star batter asserted that Rohit Sharma deserves more.
“After winning the 2011 World Cup the team carried Sachin Tendulkar on their shoulders. Is it time to carry you now?” presenter Harsha Bhogle asked.
“Rohit has played nine T20 World Cups, this is my sixth. He deserves it. I wasn’t confident in the last few games, but grateful and humble right now, and I bow my head. It’s been difficult, and the emotions of the game it’s difficult to hold things back. The emotions will come later”, Kohli responded.
It was India’s second T20 World Cup victory after they had won it in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy in South Africa, and first since winning the Champions Trophy in 2013.
Virat Kohli made his first fifty of this tournament in the T20 World Cup 2024 final – a classy 76 off 59 balls with six fours and two sixes that carried India to a competitive 176 for seven.
It is pertinent to mention that Virat Kohli represented India in 125 T20Is and accumulated 4188 runs at a brilliant average of 48.69 with the help of one century and 38 fifties.