In a monumental turn of events, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have announced their retirements from T20 Internationals (T20Is) following India’s thrilling seven-run victory against South Africa in the final of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup. The announcement came shortly after India clinched their second World T20 title, marking the end of an era for two of India’s most celebrated cricketers.
Virat Kohli, who was awarded the Player of the Match for his stellar 59-ball 76, made his announcement during the post-match presentation on Saturday. “This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli told the official 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 further elaborated on his decision, saying, “Yes I have [announced my retirement from T20Is], this was an open secret. It was not something that I wasn’t going to announce even if we had lost. It’s 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 [Sharma], he’s played nine T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. He deserves it.”
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Rohit Sharma, who confirmed his retirement decision in the press conference afterwards, leaves behind an equally impressive legacy. Both players have been instrumental in India’s T20 success over the years.
Kohli, who made his T20I debut in June 2010, has played 125 matches for India in the format, amassing 4188 runs, including one century and 38 half-centuries. He has also been honoured with two Player of the Tournament awards in the T20 World Cups of 2014 and 2016. Kohli retires as the second-highest run-getter in T20Is, only behind Rohit Sharma.
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