Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20 Internationals after leading India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa with a Player of the Match performance.
Kohli’s match-winning display, scoring 76 off 59 balls, played a pivotal role in India securing a seven-run triumph to clinch their second T20 World Cup title.
After a tense final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, where India posted 176 for seven after recovering from a precarious 34 for three in the PowerPlay, Kohli made his announcement. The former captain and prolific run-scorer revealed his decision while accepting the Player of the Match award.
Virat Kohli retires from T20Is
“This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli told the broadcaster. “One day you feel like you can’t get a run and this happens, God is great. Just the occasion, now or never kind of situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India. We wanted to lift that cup.”
Kohli confirmed that his retirement had been an “open secret,” regardless of the outcome of the final. He expressed his gratitude and emphasized the importance of making way for the next generation of cricketers to take the T20 game forward.
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“It’s been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. You look at someone like Rohit [Sharma], he’s played nine T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. He deserves it. It’s been difficult to hold things back and I think it’s going to sink in later. It’s an amazing day and I’m thankful,” Kohli added.
Kohli’s T20I career has been nothing short of illustrious. In his 125-match T20I career, he amassed 4188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, making him India’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, just behind Rohit Sharma. Despite a challenging tournament leading up to the final, where he scored only 75 runs in seven innings, Kohli’s resilience shone through when it mattered most.
Reflecting on his journey, Kohli shared, “To be honest, I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dreams, also considering how my tournament had gone so far. Great lesson for me, really humbled by the game big time. Put my head down and ego on the side. If you think you are everything and can do wonders, you are nothing. You really have to put your head down and respect the situation.”
India’s victory in the T20 World Cup final marks their first global tournament win since the 2013 Champions Trophy and 2011 World Cup win, a milestone that coincidentally was Kohli’s first World Cup as well. The emotional triumph was shared with captain Rohit Sharma, who has also been a stalwart of Indian cricket and a key figure in their T20 campaigns.
His departure marks the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new chapter for Indian cricket. The next generation, inspired by Kohli’s legacy, will carry forward the baton in T20 cricket to 2026 when the next T20 World Cup will be played.
How India won the T20 World Cup
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya orchestrated a stunning comeback to guide India to their second T20 World Cup title, defeating South Africa by seven runs. South Africa, needing just 30 runs off the last 30 balls with six wickets in hand, seemed poised for their maiden World Cup triumph, only for India to turn the game on its head with a sensational bowling display.
India’s innings was anchored by Virat Kohli’s 59-ball 76, bolstered by Axar Patel’s crucial 47, helping them post a competitive 176 for seven. Despite losing early wickets, Kohli’s resilience and calculated aggression, featuring two sixes and six fours, laid the foundation for a defendable total. South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje kept the pressure on with disciplined bowling, but India managed to set a challenging target.
South Africa’s chase began steadily, with Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller steering them to a commanding position. Klaasen’s blistering 52 off 23 balls, including three sixes and four boundaries, put South Africa in a dominant position. However, with 30 needed off the last five overs, Bumrah and Pandya rose to the occasion.
Captain Rohit Sharma turned to his ace bowler, Bumrah, to stem the flow of runs. Bumrah responded with an economical over, conceding just four runs and breaking the rhythm of Klaasen and Miller. The pivotal moment came in the 17th over when Pandya, bowling a wide line outside off, induced an edge from Klaasen, brilliantly caught by Rishabh Pant.
With Miller still at the crease, South Africa remained in the hunt. However, Bumrah’s penultimate over was a masterclass in death bowling, yielding only two runs and dismissing Marco Jansen with a superb in-seamer. Arshdeep Singh’s nerveless 19th over further tightened the noose, allowing just four runs.
The final over, bowled by Pandya, saw the defining moment of the match. Miller’s attempt to clear the boundary resulted in a spectacular boundary catch by Suryakumar Yadav, who juggled the ball while managing to stay inside the rope. Pandya closed out the over, conceding just a single boundary, sealing a memorable victory for India.
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Bumrah’s figures of 2 for 18, including two crucial wickets, were instrumental, complemented by Arshdeep’s 2 for 20. Pandya’s 3 for 20, including the match-turning wickets of Klaasen and Miller, underscored his all-round prowess.
India’s bowlers, particularly Bumrah and Pandya, delivered under immense pressure, showcasing their skill and composure. The triumph marks India’s first global World Cup tournament win since the 2011 ODI World Cup, ending a 13-year wait and reaffirming their status as a cricketing powerhouse. The victory, marked by brilliant individual performances and collective grit, will be remembered as one of India’s greatest heists in cricket history.
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- Indian Rupee as a currency
- Very Competitive odds
- Website available in Hindi