India beat South Africa by seven runs in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados on Saturday (June 29), ending the long drought for an ICC trophy. But the victory was followed by some bittersweet announcements.
Rohit joins Kohli in retirement
Virat Kohli, who scored a match-winning 76 off 59 balls in the final, announced that it was his last T20I during the post-match presentation. Rohit Sharma was not asked the same question at the presentation ceremony, but he announced his retirement from the foramt as well during the press conference after the final.
"This was my last game as well," Rohit said, signing off on a 17-year-long T20I career which saw him feature in every single edition of the T20 World Cup, winning his first and last ones.
"Honestly, I've enjoyed since the time I started playing this format and nothing [no] better time to say goodbye to this format. I have loved every moment of this. I started my India career playing this format. And this is what I wanted. I wanted to win the cup and say (gestures goodbye)".
Rohit Sharma has announced his retirement from T20Is after captaining India to their second World Cup title.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 29, 2024
Read more: https://t.co/2nk2l3u1xm pic.twitter.com/WJq2i76aqM
With 4,231 runs, Rohit is also retiring as the highest run-scorer in T20Is. No one has more than his five hundreds in the format.
Also read: Virat Kohli retires from T20Is following India's T20 World Cup win
He did, however, give his fans a relief by confirming that he will continue playing ODIs and Test cricket.
Rohit has now led India to the final in global tournaments in all three formats in a year’s span. Under him, India finished runners-up at the 2021-23 World Test Championship and the 2023 World Cup, and won the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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