In a surprising turn of events, Indian cricket sensation Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the T20 World Cup during his interview at the T20 World Cup final match ceremony. This marks the end of an era for one of the most prolific players in the history of T20 cricket, not just in India but also all over the world.
Virat Kohli is included among those who get the title of greatest batsman of all time in the cricket world; he is also included among those who also get positive feedback from critics. Even if you see his performance in this World Cup 2024, he mostly loses his wicket early on, except in the final match, where the Indian team needed someone to stay longer and take the pressure. The reason behind his last performance in the T20 World Cup final is the support he gets from team players, management, and especially from the captain, Rohit Sharma, who commented on Virat Kohli’s performance during a press conference after winning semifinal match of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Rohit Sharma remarked, “It is not a big problem. We already know what an outclass batsman he is. Maybe he has spared his best inning for the T20 World Cup 2024 final.”
This shows not just Rohit Sharma’s support but also the confidence he has in Virat Kohli, which he proved through his performance in the final match. Even though he contributed effectively in the final match and brought happiness to his fans based in India, at the same time he announced his retirement from the T20 World Cup format. Kohli’s decision has left fans and cricket lovers around the world in shock, as he has been a cornerstone of India’s T20 success for over a decade.
Virat Kholi T20 International Achievements
Kohli’s T20 International (T20I) career is full of records and achievements that show his amazing legacy in the cricketing world. Let’s take a look at some of his remarkable accomplishments:
Centuries: Kohli has scored one century in T20Is, a rare feat in this format. His highest score in T20Is is 122*.
Half-centuries: He has an impressive 38 half-centuries in T20Is, which shows that he is not just an outclass performer but also a player with high control of nerve, one of the unique players who performs well in a pressure situation.
Overall Runs and Performance: Virat Kohli is the highest run scorer in T20I history, having scored over 4188 runs at an astonishing average of 48.69. If you talk about his sixes and fours, then you would not be surprised to know that he has 369 fours and 124 sixes in 117 innings. His consistency and ability to chase down targets have been unparalleled.
Man of the Match Awards: If we look at his virtuous T20I career, Kohli has earned numerous ‘Man of the Match’ awards, which shows his consistency in cricket history.
Captaincy Timeline: Virat Kohli was also a captain of Team India, and he also had some memorable victories against top teams in the cricket world, e.g., England, Australia, and South Africa (who recently lost the T20 World Cup 2024 final because of Virat Kohli’s great performance).
In his retirement announcement, Kohli expressed that this is my last T20 World Cup and that this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. I am just really grateful I was able to get the job done for the team on the day that mattered the most. We wanted to win the ICC Tournament; we wanted to lift the cup, and it was an occasion that helped me put my head down and just respect the situation rather than try to push things out and just really play the game, my team, wanted me to play. It was time for the next generation to take over. Source ICC t20 world cup final interview
Kohli’s retirement from the T20 World Cup will undoubtedly leave a great legacy in the cricket world. His absence will be really missed in future t20 matches, but we can say one thing positive here: His passion, dedication, and unmatched skills have inspired countless young cricketers, not just in India, where cricket is seen as their favorite game, but also worldwide. While his T20 World Cup journey may have ended on June 29, 2024, his legacy will continue to inspire future generations.
At the end, we are undoubtedly not happy to say that Virat Kohli has closed his T20 International chapter. However, as cricket lovers, we find joy in knowing that we will continue to see Virat Kohli in One Day and Test matches, where he will continuously showcase his outclass performance to the world.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is based on publicly The information provided in this blog is based on publicly available sources and is intended for informational purposes only. If you are interested in exact information, we highly encourage you to check the official sources.