Rahul Dravid lifts T20 World Cup trophy.© AFP

India lifted the T20 World Cup title after a gap of 17 years on Saturday. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Mohammed Siraj were super emotional. All these players were spotted having tears in their eyes. It was all justified as India were set to lose a third ICC tournament final in around a year’s time, but they managed to eke out a narrow seven-run win in the T20 World Cup 2024 summit clash against South Africa. After India’s victory, Virat’s wife and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma put a heartfelt post on social media.

“Our daughter’s biggest concern was if all the players had someone to hug them after she saw them cry on tv….. Yes, My darling, they were hugged by 1.5 billion people What a phenomenal victory and what a legendary achievement!! CHAMPIONS – CONGRATULATIONS!!” wrote Anushka.

Star batter Virat Kohli on Saturday announced his retirement from T20Is after guiding India to their second T20 World Cup win.

Kohli anchored the innings with a match-winning 59-ball 76 with two sixes and six fours to lift India from a precarious 34 for three inside the powerplay, to a formidable 176 for seven, cornerstone of India’s 7-run victory over South Africa.

Kohli said after collecting the Man of the Match award that it was his las T20I match for India.

“This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli told the broadcast after India’s win in a global tournament after 11 years.

“One day you feel like you can’t get a run and this happens, God is great. (It is) just the occasion, now or never kind of situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India. We wanted to lift that cup,” he said.

“Yes I have, this was an open secret (retirement). 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,” Kohli confirmed when asked if he was making the official announcement about him calling it a day.

“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,” Kohli added.

(With PTI Inputs)

Former England spinner Monty Panesar backed the Indian team to end their ICC World Cup trophy hiatus and lift the coveted T20 World Cup title, and also made a big prediction about India’s misfiring Virat Kohli. Ahead of the final between the two unbeaten sides of the tournament, India and South Africa, Panesar backed the Rohit Sharma-led side to lift the trophy and predicted that Kohli would score a 100 against the Proteas. “India will win the T20 World Cup final, and Virat Kohli will score 100,” Panesar told ANI.

After enjoying a rich vein of form with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Kohli has been searching for runs from his bat throughout the ongoing edition of the marquee event. Kohli appears to have lost his rhythm while opening for the Indian team alongside skipper Rohit Sharma.

Kohli ended IPL 2024 with the Orange Cap, by racking a whopping 741 runs at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69, with a century and five half-centuries.

But in the ongoing T20 World Cup, Kohli’s record is in complete contrast with his IPL figures. In seven matches, Kohli, with all his experience, has struggled to put together a string of performances. He has mustered up just 75 runs at an average of 10.71 throughout the tournament.

The stalwart batter momentarily showed a glimpse of returning to his groove after smoking the ball into the stand over mid-wicket off Reece Topley.

But the English pacer had the last laugh after he dislodged the bails off the stumps, with Kohli attempting to shovel the ball towards the boundary.

Apart from Panesar, Rohit also backed his compatriot to produce a spectacle in Barbados on Saturday against the Proteas.

“He (Kohli) is a quality player. Any player can go through that. We do understand his class, and we do understand his importance in all these big games. Form is never a problem. When you’ve played cricket for 15 years, form is never a problem. He’s looking good, the intent is there, and he’s probably saving for the final. Absolutely (backing Kohli for the final),” Rohit said in the post-match presentation after India’s 68-run over England in the semi-final.

Following his side’s playoff qualification in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after beating Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Rajat Patidar lauded star batter Virat Kohli for bringing energy on the field that helped everyone step up their game and in maintaining a great atmosphere in the team. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) completed their fairytale comeback in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season, securing the playoff spot with a 27-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Bengaluru on Saturday.

Following his side’s win, Patidar said, “Virat Kohli bhaiya’s energy infectious on the field. Whether we are behind or ahead in the match, his energy always lifts the whole team. His energy on the field, gives us the motivation and confidence to play better.”

RCB’s road to playoffs was not easy. They had lost seven of their first eight games. Sitting at the bottom of the points table, they were written off from the playoffs race. But sheer belief and fearless gameplay in remaining games helped them secure six successive wins. Also other team’s results went in their way and made their journey to top four easy.

On RCB’s belief that they could overcome a poor start to the season, Patidar said, “We believed that we could change the points table. It has happened before and RCB have done it in the past. We had examples and experienced players around us, so it was a great environment. Everyone believed we could change this.”

On his performance and the support from the senior RCB players, Patidar said – “My role was clear and all I wanted to do was execute it correctly. Our team has many experienced players, such as DK (Dinesh Karthik), Virat, Faf (Du Plessis), and (Cameron) Green. The things I have gotten a chance to learn from them have helped me a lot.”

In 14 matches and 12 innings this season, Patidar has scored 361 runs at an average of 30.08 and a strike rate of 179.60, with five half-centuries. His best score is 55. His run of form in the second half of the season, quickfire half-centuries and assault on spin-bowling proved to be instrumental in RCB’s qualification on the basis of net-run-rate.

Coming to the match, CSK won the toss and opted to bat first. RCB put on a fine score of 218/5 on the board, with skipper Faf Du Plessis (54 in 39 balls, with three fours and three sixes), Virat Kohli (47 in 29 balls, with three fours and four sixes) put on a 78-run partnership, setting a fine platform for Rajat Patidar (41 in 23 balls, with two fours and four sixes) and Cameron Green (38* in 17 balls, with three fours and three sixes) to put on a 71-run stand for the third wicket.

Cameos from Dinesh Karthik (14 in six balls, with a four and six) and Glenn Maxwell (16 in five balls, with two fours and a six) took RCB to a 200-run plus total.

RCB needed to restrict CSK below 201 runs to qualify for the playoffs and surpass their net-run-rate.

In the run-chase of 219 runs and task of scoring 201 runs atleast to book the top four spot, CSK lost two wickets early and were reduced to 19/2. Rachin Ravindra (61 in 37 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and Ajinkya Rahane (33 in 22 balls, with three fours and a six) put up a 66-run stand to bring the side into the game.

RCB sunk CSK to 129/6, but a partnership between Ravindra Jadeja (42* in 22 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and MS Dhoni (25* in 13 balls, with three fours and a six) threatened to take the match away from RCB. However, Yash Dayal defended 11 runs in the final over, restricting CSK to just 191/7 in 20 overs.

RCB is in fourth place with seven wins and seven losses, with 14 points. CSK is in the fifth spot with seven wins and seven losses, but they have slid down to fifth due to a lower net-run rate.

As Sunil Chhetri sat contemplating how he would break his retirement plans to the world, he knew there was one man who would understand what exactly he was going through and Virat Kohli did not disappoint the iconic Indian football captain. The 39-year-old Chhetri, the most capped India footballer with 150 matches to his credit and the country’s top-scorer with 94 goals, will hang up his boots after the World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait on June 6 in Kolkata. Chhetri’s announcement came on Thursday, driven by, what he described as, rather inexplicable instincts. And he chose Kohli as one of his confidantes before going public with his decision.

“I did talk to Virat Kohli before my retirement decision, he is very close to me. I discussed with him because we both understand that we would know this thing exactly the way it is,” Chhetri said in an online media interaction from Bhubaneswar where he is currently part of a national camp for the World Cup qualifiers.

“The ups and downs of sports, this part of retirement, we do understand that the other person would understand,” he added, trying to describe in words the deep bond they have shared over the years.

Earlier on Friday, Kohli had acknowledged the communication from Chhetri and stated that his fellow Delhiite was at peace with the decision.

“He (Chhetri) is a really great player. He actually messaged me as well informing that he’s going to do that. But I would actually say I felt like he is at peace with the decision,” Kohli said in a short video interview on his IPL side Royal Challengers Benagluru’s ‘X’ page.

“I have become very close with him over the years and I wish the best. He is a lovely, lovely guy.” Chhetri and Kohli have often spoken about each other fondly with the former stating that they share jokes and also some deep and meaningful chats whenever they catch up.

“…it just hits the right note,” Chhetri had stated in an earlier interaction.

Kohli was among the first to offer support to Chhetri when he made an emotional plea to fans to show up for the national footballers during the 2018 Hero Cup in Mumbai.

Kohli later described Chhetri as “a man I can call a true friend.” “Very grateful for the friendship we have skip,” he had stated on Chhetri’s birthday in 2022.

Vamika has started batting: Kohli

Kohli, besides talking about Chhetri, also informed that his daughter Vamika has recently started swinging the bat but said he would never force his kids to take up cricket.

Kohli and his actor wife Anushka Sharma recently also welcomed a son, Akaay after the birth of Vamika in 2021.

“My daughter picked up a bat and she is really enjoying swinging the bat. But it’s their choice,” he said.

RCB are currently placed sixth in the IPL standings with 12 points from 13 games and will take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings in a must-win match here on Friday.

RCB made a remarkable comeback with five straight wins after enduring a six-game losing streak to stay afloat in the play-off race. “The month of May has been very good. We found a ray of sunlight. We are glad that we have made the fans happy again,” Kohli said of their fightback.

Aapki Kasam Fir Nahi Todunga”: Rinku Singh Finally Gets Virat Kohlis second Bat. Watch” src=”https://c.ndtvimg.com/2024-04/ocrl77b_rinku-singh-virat-kohli-bcci_625x300_25_April_24.jpg?output-quality=80&downsize=639:*” class=”caption” alt=””Aapki Kasam Fir Nahi Todunga”: Rinku Singh Finally Gets Virat Kohlis second Bat. Watch” title=””Aapki Kasam Fir Nahi Todunga”: Rinku Singh Finally Gets Virat Kohlis second Bat. Watch”>

Rinku Singh (left) and Virat Kohli during an interaction.© X (formerly Twitter)