Rohit Sharma Reflects on India's T20 World Cup Victory Against South Africa
A Memorable Moment from the T20 World Cup Final
Rohit Sharma, the captain who led India to victory in the T20 World Cup, recently recounted a pivotal moment from the final match held in Barbados, where India triumphed over South Africa by a narrow margin of seven runs, securing their second T20 World Cup title.
Reflecting on the match, Rohit highlighted how Virat Kohli's innings played a crucial role in stabilizing the team after a rocky start. India opted to bat first but faced early setbacks with Rohit, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav dismissed cheaply. The opener admitted that the atmosphere in the dressing room was tense during those moments.
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“Hitting three boundaries in the first over sets a positive tone. That’s what every player aims for. My years of experience with the Indian team help in managing emotions and staying focused. I believe he was thinking, ‘Today, I need to concentrate,’ without dwelling on past performances. He played exceptionally well.”
“The partnership with Axar was crucial. After losing those early wickets, nerves were high in the dressing room. I was anxious and felt we might have given the game away. However, I had faith in our lower middle order, which had shown its potential when given the chance,”
Kohli, who had struggled for form during the tournament, scored a vital 76 runs off 59 balls, helping to stabilize the innings. His partnerships—72 runs with Axar Patel and 47 runs with Shivam Dube—enabled India to post a total of 176/7 in their 20 overs. The Indian bowlers then restricted South Africa to 169/8, ending their ICC trophy drought. Following the match, both Kohli and Rohit announced their retirement from T20 internationals.
Rohit concluded his T20I career as India's leading run-scorer in the format, amassing 4,231 runs across 159 matches, including five centuries. Kohli closely followed with 4,188 runs in 125 games. Both legends announced their retirement from T20Is and subsequently from Test cricket within a fortnight in May 2025. They will now focus solely on the 50-over format, with their next appearance scheduled for India's tour of Bangladesh in August this year.