Virat Kohli Confirms T20I Retirement After India Beat South Africa To Win T20 World Cup 2024

India vs South Africa T20 World Cup Final: Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from the game's shortest format.

Virat Kohli has announced his retirement from the game's shortest format at the highest level.

India vs South Africa T20 World Cup Final: Virat Kohli has confirmed that the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2024 final was his last T20I match for India. He announced the same in a post-match interaction with Harsha Bhogle after being adjudged the Player Of the Match in the summit clash. Kohli scored 76 off 59 in India's win by 7 runs over the Proteas.

When the presenter asked if it was now time to carry Kohli, referencing the team's gesture for Sachin Tendulkar after the 2011 World Cup win. Kohli responded that Rohit Sharma, who has played nine T20 World Cups compared to his six, deserved the honour. He admitted to lacking confidence in recent games but expressed gratitude and humility, acknowledging the difficulty of managing his emotions in such a momentous occasion.

An ICON of the game bows out from T20I cricket 👑

More ⬇️https://t.co/sdmSPX1Dxz

— ICC (@ICC) June 29, 2024

Emotion. Elation. Joy. 🇮🇳😍#T20WorldCup | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/7Frwi69eey

— ICC (@ICC) June 29, 2024

"Rohit has played nine T20 World Cups, this is my sixth. He deserves it. I wasn't confident in the last few games, but grateful and humble right now, and I bow my head. It's been difficult, and the emotions of the game it's difficult to hold things back. The emotions will come later," Kohli said.

Virat Kohli's T20I Career In Numbers

Kohli ends his T20I career as a T20 World champion. In 125 T20Is, Kohli accumulated 4188 runs at a strike rate of 137.04 and an average of 48.7. He finishes his career with a solitary hundred and 38 half-centuries. Kohli delivered at the big stage yet again, scoring his first half-century in the tournament after averaging little over 10, heading into the summit clash. One of the finest batters of the moder-day generation said that it was time for the next generation to take over with the next T20 World Cup in two years time.