June 29th 2024.
Bridgetown was buzzing with excitement as star batter Virat Kohli made a major announcement on Saturday. After leading India to their second T20 World Cup win, Kohli declared his retirement from T20 Internationals.
In a thrilling match against South Africa, Kohli was the backbone of the Indian team, scoring a match-winning 59-ball 76. With two sixes and six fours, he lifted India from a precarious 34 for three to a formidable 176 for seven. This was the cornerstone of India's 7-run victory over South Africa.
After receiving the Man of the Match award, Kohli revealed that this was his last T20I match for India. He expressed his joy and satisfaction, saying, "This was my last T20 World Cup and it is exactly what we wanted to achieve." After a long wait of 11 years, India finally won a global tournament and Kohli couldn't be happier.
Reflecting on his performance, Kohli shared, "One day you feel like you can't get a run and then this happens - God is great. It was just the occasion, a now or never kind of situation." He also added, "This was my last T20 game playing for India and we wanted to lift that cup."
When asked if he was making the official announcement about his retirement, Kohli confirmed, "Yes, I have. This was an open secret. It's not something that I was going to announce even if we had lost. It's time for the next generation to take the T20 game forward."
Kohli also took a moment to acknowledge his teammate Rohit Sharma, who has played 9 T20 World Cups, while this was only Kohli's 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," he said.
The wait for an ICC tournament victory has been a long one for India, and Kohli expressed his gratitude for being a part of this historic moment. With a sense of pride and accomplishment, he said, "It's been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. You look at someone like Rohit, he's played 9 T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. It's an amazing feeling and I'm thankful for this opportunity."
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