Bridgetown, June 30: After the historic win over South Africa in a nail-biting final of the ICC T20 World Cup, India captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli on Sunday announced their retirement from T20I cricket.
"This was my last T20I game," Rohit revealed during the post-match press conference.
"There’s no better time to say goodbye to this format. I've cherished every moment of it. I began my India career with this format, and winning the cup was always my goal. I wanted it so badly. It's hard to put into words how emotional this moment is for me. I was desperate for this title in my life, and I’m thrilled that we finally crossed the line," he added.
Rohit, who played a pivotal role in India's victorious campaign, confirmed that he would continue to represent India in ODIs and Tests.
Virat Kohli also announced his retirement from T20Is, marking the end of an illustrious T20 career.
"This was my last T20 World Cup; this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day, you feel like you can't score a run, and then this happens. God is great. It was a now-or-never situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India, and we wanted to lift that cup," said Kohli in the post-match presentation while addressing the audience and his fans.
Notably, Rohit Sharma’s retirement marks the end of an illustrious T20I career during which he became the format's highest scorer, amassing 4,231 runs in 159 matches. He also holds the record for the most centuries in T20 internationals, with five to his name. His T20I journey began with the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, where he played a key role in India's first title win. Now, as captain, he has led India to their second title, further cementing his legacy.
Similarly, Kohli's T20 journey began in June 2010. Over 14 years, he played in 125 T20Is, scoring 4,188 runs, including one century and 38 half-centuries. His relentless dedication and passion for the game made him the second-highest run-getter in T20Is, just behind his teammate Rohit Sharma.
