'This was my last T20 World Cup for India': Virat Kohli says time for next gen to take over after India win

Virat Kohli retired from T20 Internationals after leading India to a thrilling T20 World Cup victory over South Africa. Following the historic win in Barbados, Kohli, Player of the Match in the final, announced his retirement, stating, "This was my last T20 World Cup, exactly what we wanted to achieve."

Reflecting on his decision, Kohli affirmed, "Yes, this was an open secret. 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."

With a career marked by highs and lows as captain, Kohli expressed gratitude and emotion, emphasizing the significance of this long-awaited ICC triumph. He added, "It's been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. You look at someone like Rohit (Sharma), 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."

Throughout this T20 World Cup, Kohli showcased a transformed batting approach. Initially struggling with low scores while opening the innings, he found his rhythm in the final against Marco Jansen, striking three boundaries early on to set India off to a strong start. Following the dismissals of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav, the team relied on Kohli to stabilize the innings—a role he fulfilled with his trademark precision.

While his innings was marked by singles and twos in the middle overs, Kohli's composed approach was pivotal, especially as Axar Patel accelerated at the other end. Despite a slow phase without boundaries, Kohli's innings was crucial in calming India's nerves, eventually reaching his fifty off 48 balls and finishing with a resilient 76 off 59 deliveries.

In the final overs, Kohli's calculated acceleration, adding 26 runs off the last 11 deliveries, proved decisive. His innings not only anchored India but also paved the way for pivotal contributions from Axar Patel and Shivam Dube, securing a resounding victory over South Africa. As Kohli departed to a standing ovation, his performance spoke volumes about his impact on the game and his team's triumph.