I wanted it so much. It is very difficult to explain in words. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was very desperate for this title in my life. I am glad I have finally crossed the line,” Rohit said.
Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20Is after leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title in Barbados on Saturday, June 29. The Indian captain led by example, ending India’s 11-year wait for an ICC trophy and bidding farewell to the shortest format after a thrilling match at the Kensington Oval.
It was my last [T20I] match too,” Rohit said in the post-final press conference. “There couldn’t be a better time to say goodbye to this format. I have enjoyed every moment. I started my career in India playing in this format. That’s what I wanted, I wanted to win the cup.
“I wanted it so badly. It’s so hard to put it into words. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was so desperate to have this title in my life. I’m glad we finally crossed the line.” The 37-year-old finished his T20I career as the leading run-getter in the format with the second-highest score of 257 runs in the ninth edition of the tournament in the US and West Indies. Rohit scored 4,231 runs in 159 T20I matches and also holds the record for most centuries (five). Notably, Rohit won the 2007 T20 World Cup title under MS Dhoni and concluded his career with another title as captain. Rohit’s retirement did not come as a surprise to the fans as he achieved everything he could in the T20Is and played to the best of his ability. He scored three fifties in eight innings and entertained fans with a strike rate of 156.70. Related Stories India breaks ICC Trophy curse after 11 years, beats South Africa in T20 World Cup final India breaks ICC Trophy curse after 11 years, beats South Africa in T20 World Cup final Emotion
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Virat Kohli first announced his decision to retire from the shorter format of the game after winning the Man of the Match award in the 2024 final. Kohli, who batted first, scored 76 runs to help India post a total of 176 /7 and finished his career as the highest run-scorer in T20 World Cup history.
