‘This Is The First Time I’ve Seen Rohit Sharma Show So Much Emotion On The Field’: Virat Kohli
New Delhi: India grabbed an ICC trophy after a long time of 11 years in Barbados on June 29 when they defeated South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 by seven runs. Star India batter Virat Kohli after the Victory Parade on Thursday recognized that he had never seen Indian skipper Rohit Sharma as emotional as he was after winning the title.
“Rohit and I, we’ve been trying this for so long. We always wanted to win a World Cup. Bringing the trophy back to Wankhede is a very special feeling. We have been playing for the last 15 years and this is the first time, I’ve seen Rohit so emotional – he was crying, I was crying, a hug between both of us – I will never forget that day,” Kohli said.
After the victory both the senior players announced their retirement from the T20 format of the game. “I couldn’t connect with the emotions of the seniors, who cried that night (after the 2011 World Cup triumph) but now I do,” Kohli said. The 35-year-old was also part of winning the ODI World Cup team in 2011 where he was one of the younger players coming up the ranks amongst seniors.
Jasprit Bumrah delivered a stellar performance throughout the World Cup, showcasing his mastery with 15 crucial wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.17. His outstanding contributions earned him the well-deserved Player of the Tournament award. Kohli would go on to say Bumrah should be considered as the eighth wonder of the world. “I’ll sign the petition for Jasprit Bumrah to be the eighth wonder of the world right now. He is a once-in-a-generation bowler.”
Ahead of the Victory Parade, the Indian cricket team had a momentous meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Modi was keen to hear from Virat Kohli about his thoughts leading into the crucial final. Despite a challenging campaign earlier, Kohli’s remarkable 76-run innings in the final played a pivotal role in India’s triumphant World Cup journey.