ICC World Cup 2023: "My Career Highlight Is Obviously Winning The World Cup In 2011" - Virat Kohli

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli recently revealed that winning the World Cup in 2011 remains his biggest achievement in his international career. Virat Kohli acknowledged that he understands the emotions of senior players after playing several World Cups without clinching a victory.

Virat Kohli was part of India’s World Cup-winning campaign in 2011 at home. The right-handed batter scored a century in his first World Cup match against Bangladesh. He scored a crucial 35-run knock in the final match against Sri Lanka after the two early wickets at the Wankhede Stadium.

Didn’t Understand The Magnitude Of It – Virat Kohli

Speaking at a promotional event, Virat Kohli highlighted that the victory was a special moment for Sachin Tendulkar, and winning in his hometown was a dream-like experience.

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“My career highlight is obviously winning the World Cup in 2011. I was 23 at the time, and I probably didn’t understand the magnitude of it. But now at 34, and has played many World Cups, which we haven’t been able to win, So, I understand the emotions of all the senior players (in 2011),” Kohli said.

“All the more for Sachin Tendulkar, as it was his last World Cup. He had already played many World Cups by then and to win it in Mumbai, his hometown, was very special for him. I mean, it was stuff from dreams,” he added.

Sachin Tendulkar played for India in six ODI World Cups in his illustrious career. He was the leading run-getter in the 2011 edition, scoring 482 runs at an average of 53.55. He smashed two centuries and two crucial half-centuries in the tournament.

It Would Have Been A Nightmare – Virat Kohli

The Delhi-born cricketer recalled that the players experienced immense pressure during the 2011 World Cup. Kohli highlighted that it would have been a nightmare if there had been social media.

“I remember the amount of pressure there was on all the players when we were travelling, Thankfully, there was no social media back then. It would have been a nightmare, honestly,” he further added.

“But through the airports, it was always just one thing — we need to win the Cup. The senior players were always under the pump and had to handle all that pressure. It was just brilliant. And that night (after the WC win) in itself was something magical,” Kohli concluded.

Virat Kohli scored 282 runs in nine matches at an average of 35.25 for Team India at the 2011 World Cup. He was part of India’s semi-final exits in the 2015 and 2019 editions. The Rohit Sharma-led team will kick off their World Cup 2023 campaign on October 8.

Also read: IND vs PAK: Watch – Virat Kohli And Ravindra Jadeja Put In Extra Effort In Preparation For Asia Cup 2023