Rohit Sharma Reflects on T20 World Cup Celebration and Future Matches
Rohit Sharma's T20 World Cup Triumph
Rohit Sharma, the captain who led India to victory in the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, shared insights about his unique celebration following the T20 WC win in 2024. Inspired by a football match, he decided to replicate a celebration that felt instinctive to him. This victory marked the end of an 11-year trophy drought for India. After a disappointing loss to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final in Ahmedabad, where India had a remarkable 10-match winning streak, Rohit lifted the spirits of both players and fans by guiding the team to a thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the T20 final. Key contributions came from Virat Kohli (76 runs), Hardik Pandya (3 wickets for 20 runs), Jasprit Bumrah (2 wickets for 18 runs), and Arshdeep Singh (2 wickets for 20 runs) during the match held in Barbados.
'It Came Naturally to Me'
During the trophy presentation, Rohit approached the podium in a deliberate manner before joyfully lifting the trophy high. As an ambassador for the upcoming T20 World Cup, he recounted how his teammates suggested various celebration ideas, but he preferred to embrace the moment authentically. "There were many discussions before the ceremony, with teammates advising me on how to walk and celebrate. I told them to let me be; I wanted to express what felt natural to me. It was a beautiful moment, and I wanted to experience it fully. The celebration I chose was inspired by something I had seen in football, which I really liked," he explained.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc)
A 2019 Celebration Revisited
Rohit also revealed that he had used a similar celebration during the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup when he scored five centuries, although it went unnoticed by the cameras. "I did this celebration in the 2019 World Cup as well, but no one saw it. I performed it after taking a catch in the slips, but the cameras typically focus on the bowler or the batsman who got out, not the fielder. It was a fantastic catch, but unfortunately, the camera missed me. That’s when I first tried it," he reminisced. He added, "Just days before that match, I had watched a football game and thought the celebration was really cool. I thought I might try it someday."
Looking Ahead
Rohit Sharma is set to return to the field for a three-match ODI series against New Zealand starting January 11.