Indian batting ace Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20I cricket after India won the ICC T20I World Cup 2024 defeating South Africa by seven runs at Barbados. Virat Kohli, who won the Player of the Tournament award for his 59-ball 76, said he just finished playing his last T20 World Cup and achieved exactly what the team wanted.
During the post-match presentation, Kohli said he feels that it is time for the next generation of Indian cricketers to take over. The announcement of the final being his last T20 game was an open secret, the 35-year-old said, adding that he would have announced it even if India had lost the final.
When Harsha Bhogle asked Kohli to reaffirm what he had just said, here is what the former Indian captain said: "Yes, I have. This was my last T20 game playing for India... Not something that I wasn't going to announce even if we had lost. Time for the next generation to take the T20 game forward.
"It's been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. You look at someone like Rohit, he's played 9 T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. He deserves it. It's been difficult to hold things (emotions) back and I think it's going to sink in later. It's an amazing day and I'm thankful.."
Having played 125 T20I games for India, "King Kohli" managed 4188 runs from 117 innings, ESPN Cricinfo showed. He boasts an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, having scored 38 half-centuries and a ton.
India beat South Africa to lift ICC T20 World Cup 2024
The Men In Blue defeated South Africa by seven runs in a see-saw final to lift its second T20 World Cup trophy here on Saturday.
When Heinrich Klaasen (52 off 27 balls) was going hammer and tongs against the in-form Indian spinners, it seemed Rohit Sharma and his men would have to settle for second place in another World Cup final but they clawed their way back into the game with a lot of help from South Africa.
Eventually, Hardik Pandya, much maligned by his own supporters for past six months, was able to defend 16 runs in the final over to ensure India's first ICC trophy since 2013 and a maiden T20 World Cup crown in the post-IPL era. In response to India's 176 for seven, South Africa ended at 169 for eight.
The sense of relief and jubilation was evident on the stars of the Indian team, Kohli and Rohit, who might not stay on for another T20 World Cup cycle. The result was also a fitting farewell to head coach Rahul Dravid. It was the joint effort of Kohli (76 off 59)and Axar Patel (47 off 31) that allowed India to set the highest total in a T20 World Cup final.
In the high-pressure run chase, India pacers provided two early wickets before a 58-run stand between opener Quinton de Kock (39 off 31) and Tristian Stubbs (52 off 27) put the Proteas back in the game. However, it was Klaasen's breathtaking knock that almost stunned India.
Needing a wicket, Rohit Sharma did not turn to his lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah and went for Axar Patel in the 15th over in which Klaasen pounded a couple of sixes and as many fours to single-handily take the game away from the opposition.
The asking rate suddenly dropped to run a ball and it became South Africa's game to lose.
Not known to keep their calm in pressure situations, South Africa made life tougher for themselves and needed 20 runs off the last 12 balls with David Miller and Keshav Maharaj in the centre.
Bumrah, who had bowled a beauty to dislodge Reeza Hendricks in the powerplay, made an impact when he was eventually brought back for the remaining two overs, picking up a wicket and conceding only six runs off his final 12 balls.
The equation came down 16 off the last six balls and on the first ball, Suryakumar Yadav took a sensational relay catch at the long-off boundary off Hardik to put India on the cusp of a thrilling victory.
- With PTI inputs
