Kohli led India to victory with a man-of-the-match performance before announcing his retirement from the format.
After defeating South Africa in the World Cup final, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20 internationals.
The 35-year-old scored 76 runs in his final international game in this format as India cruised to a seven-run win over Humdinger at Kensington Oval on Saturday.
An emotional Kohli, 35, said after receiving the Man of the Match award, “This is my last T20 game for India.
„It’s time for the next generation to take the game of T20 forward.”
Kohli retired from the format with 4,188 runs in 125 T20 Internationals with a strike rate of 137.
Considered a modern batsman, Kohli was not in his best form in the tournament but saved his best for the final.
India were in big trouble at 34-3 in the T20 World Cup final when Axar Patel combined for 176-7.
This is what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli said.
Coming to the party with the bat at the last crucial juncture, Kohli was awarded the man of the match award for his 59-ball 76: “This is my last T20 World Cup and this is what I wanted to achieve.
“One day, you feel like you can’t make a run, then you come out and things happen to you. I am very grateful to have done that job on a very important day for the team.
„It was now or never. It was my last T20 game for India, so I wanted to make the most of it. Our aim was to win the ICC tournament.
“That occasion helped me put my head down and respect the situation. I wanted to play the innings that the team needed.
Kohli said his retirement from the short form of the game was „an open secret”.
„We wanted to lift the trophy for a long time. That occasion made me keep my head down, respect the situation and play the innings the team needed from me.
It was India’s first global title after winning the 2013 Champions Trophy.
„It still hasn’t sunk in. It was an amazing day,” Kohli added.
Truly the greatest show on earth 🎪#T20 World Cup pic.twitter.com/J0zoQnNUu1
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 29, 2024
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