Virat Kohli surprised the cricket universe by announcing his retirement from T20 internationals following the team's monumental victory in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Barbados.
Kohli, considered one of the modern greats of the game, played a pivotal hand in India lifting their first ever T20 World Cup title. Batting at number three, his match-defining knock of 76 runs off 59 deliveries helped the team post a competitive total of 176/7 after being reduced to 34/3 in the powerplay overs. Kohli's innings, laced with six boundaries and two maximums, swung the match in India's favor and set the platform for their eventual seven-run triumph.
Upon receiving the Player of the Match award for his stellar all-round contributions, the former India captain made the unexpected declaration that the summit clash was his swansong in the T20 format at the international level. “This was always my last T20 for India. I've informed the selectors about this decision prior to the tournament itself. It's time for the next generation to take over from here,” stated Kohli.
The 33-year-old acknowledged that it had been a long wait for India to lay claim to an ICC trophy and he was overjoyed to play a key role in ending the drought. He paid tribute to his teammates for rising to the occasion on global cricket's biggest stage. Kohli signs off from T20Is having represented the nation in 102 matches, amassing over 3,500 runs. He will go down as one of the finest Twenty20 exponents the country has seen and leaves behind a rich legacy.
