Virat Kohli announces retirement from T20Is, leaves in style with T20 WC title and match-winning knock

Bridgetown (Barbados): After India’s second ICC T20 World Cup title win, star Indian batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is, going out in style with a match-winning 76-run knock in the title clash against South Africa.

A fine display of lethal bowling by the trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and stunning knocks from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel helped India end their ICC Trophy drought, winning their second World Cup title. ICC T20 World Cup by beating South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados on Saturday.

Speaking after the match at a post-match presentation, Virat said, “This was my last T20 World Cup, that’s exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel like you can’t run and it happens, God is great. Just the opportunity, it’s now or never. This was my last T20 match for India. We wanted to lift this cup, it wasn’t something I wasn’t going to announce even though we had lost time for the next generation. the T20 game. It’s been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. You look at someone like Rohit, he’s played 9 T20 World Cups and this is my sixth.

After scoring just 75 runs in the first seven innings of the competition, Virat stepped up when it mattered most, scoring 76 runs off 59 balls, with six fours and two sixes. His runs had a strike rate of 128.81.

Virat finished the ongoing edition with 151 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 112.68, with one fifty.

In 35 T20 World Cup matches, Virat has scored 1,292 runs at an average of 58.72 and strike rate of 128.81, with 15 half-centuries. His best score is 89*. He is the best points scorer in the history of the tournament.

In 125 T20I matches, Virat has scored 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04. He has scored one century and 38 fifties and a top score of 122*. He ends the format as the second-highest run-scorer of all time.

Coming into the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. After being reduced to 34/3, a counter-attacking partnership between Virat and Axar Patel of 72 runs restored India’s position in the match. A 57-run stand between Virat and Shivam Dube took India to 176/7 in 20 overs.

Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje were the best bowlers for South Africa. Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram each took a wicket.

In the 177-run chase, Proteas were reduced to 12/2 and then a 58-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs brought SA back into the match. A half-century from Heinrich Klaasen threatened to take India’s game away. However, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik made a fine comeback in the death overs, keeping SA at 169/8 in their 20 overs.

Virat was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his performance. Today, by winning their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013, India ended their ICC trophy drought.

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