Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, after leading India to a thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the Twenty20 World Cup final, announced their retirement from international T20 matches. At the press conference after the final, Sharma stated that the game was his last in the T20 format. The win marked a significant milestone for India after a 13-year drought in major tournaments.
Despite Kohli’s struggles throughout the tournament, he delivered a standout performance in the final with an innings of 76 off 59 balls. Sharma finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 257 runs at a strike rate of over 156, including crucial half-centuries in key matches. He expressed his commitment to continue playing tests and one-day internationals for India.
India’s victory in the T20 World Cup final ended a series of near misses in major tournaments since their last success in the ODI World Cup in 2011. Painful losses, including the 50-over final to Australia in Ahmedabad and the World Test Championship final last summer, led to a sense of desperation for success. Sharma reflected on the emotional journey and expressed his happiness at finally achieving victory in the T20 World Cup.