Virat Kohli Retires From T20Is After India’s T20 World Cup Triumph
30.06.2024: Virat Kohli, the former captain of the Indian cricket team and Player of the Match in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, announced his retirement from T20 Internationals right after India’s historic win over South Africa in Barbados on Saturday. Kohli, one of India’s greatest cricketers, stated it was time for the next generation to take over. From the by-lanes of Delhi to ruling world cricket, Kohli’s T20I career saw many highs and lows as captain.
“This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli shared with broadcasters after India ended an 11-year ICC title drought. “One day you feel like you can’t get a run, and then this happens. God is great. This was my last T20 game for India. We wanted to lift that cup.”
When asked by Harsha Bhogle if he was officially retiring, Kohli confirmed, “Yes, this was an open secret. Not something I wouldn’t have announced even if we had lost. It’s time for the next generation to take the T20 game forward.”
Reflecting on the victory, Kohli added, “It’s been a long wait for us to win an ICC tournament. Look at someone like Rohit (Sharma); he’s played nine T20 World Cups, and this is my sixth. He deserves it. It’s been hard to hold back emotions, and I think it will sink in later. It’s an amazing day, and I’m thankful.”
Virat Kohli is among the rare cricketers to have won both the ODI and T20 World Cups. Kohli debuted in T20Is in 2010 and participated in several T20 World Cups, with India falling short each time until 2024. In this edition, Kohli emerged as a savior after India’s poor start against South Africa, scoring a gritty 76 off 59 balls, leading India to a record total of 176/7 in a T20 World Cup final.
At the end of his illustrious career, Virat Kohli finished with 4,188 runs in 125 matches, averaging 48.69.