Virat Kohli announces T20I retirement after T20 World Cup 2024 victory

India batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20I cricket after the team won the T20 World Cup 2024. The batter mentioned that the summit clash against South Africa was his last for the team in the shortest format of the game and it's now time for the younger generation to take on. 

One of the greatest batters of the generation Virat Kohli won't be featuring anymore for India in the T20Is. It was a fairytale ending for him as the batter as India won the T20 World Cup 2024 by beating South Africa in the final at the Kensington Oval Bridgetown in Barbados.

Virat Kohli, who until the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 had just 75 runs under his belt, made sure that he stepped up big time for his team. The batter held the fort for his team and made sure that he batted till the very end to take his team to the winning total. 

Opening the batter Virat Kohli was right there when India lost Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant early. However, it was the senior batter, who showed great maturity and yet again proved that big players always shine at big stage, playing a match-winning knock. 

Virat Kohli played a sensational innings of 76 runs off 59 balls. He batted with a strike rate of around 130 and slammed 6 fours and 2 sixes in his innings. His knock helped India post a total of 176 runs on the board and won the game by 7 runs to lift their second T20 World Cup title. 

Virat Kohli, who won the Player of The match in the final, after the game shocked the fans as he mentioned that it was his last game for India in the T20Is. Speaking to broadcasters, he explained: 

"This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. 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. Wanted to Yes I have, this was an open secret."

You look at someone like Rohit, he's played 9 T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. He deserves it - Virat Kohli 

Virat Kohli further talked about his retirement, saying that even if India had lost the final, he would've announced his decision because he believes that it's time for the next generation to take on. He stated that more than him, captain Rohit Sharma deserved the World Cup and stated: 

"Not something that I wasn't going to announce even if we had lost. 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, he's played 9 T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. He deserves it. It's been difficult to hold things (emotions) back and I think it's going to sink in later. It's an amazing day and I'm thankful." 

Virat Kohli played 125 matches for India in the T20Is. He is India's second-highest run-scorer in the format. In his career, he slammed 4188 at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04.