Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi hailed India's veteran Virat Kohli after he bagged Player of the Match in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa and announced his retirement.
The 35-year-old scored 59-ball 76 and was instrumental in setting up the total of 177 which India defended.
"Memorable end to a remarkable T20I career, Congratulations India on winning the T20 World Cup, Shaheen wrote on Instagram.
Meanwhile,Kohli has become the only player to be part of the winning Playing XI of all four ICC Men’s events.
Kohli was part of the team which lifted the U19 World Cup in 2008, the Cricket World Cup in 2011, the Champions Trophy in 2013 and now the T20 World Cup in 2024.
Ironically, India won the U19 World Cup in 2008 by defeating South Africa, the same team they defeated in the T20 World Cup 2024 final.
South Africa, chasing the 177 target in the final, fell seven runs short of the target. The only players to put up a front against the Indian bowling attack were Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen who scored 39 off 31 and 52 off 27 respectively.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma had won the toss and elected to bat first. The decision, at first, did not seem right as Rohit, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav fell early on in the innings.
However, Kohli who couldn't perform in the entire T20 World Cup 2024, blasted an innings of 76 runs off 59 balls, helping India to reach a total of 176 at the loss of seven wickets.
Accepting the Player of the Match award, Kohli also confirmed that this was his last T20 World Cup and T20I match while representing India and he will now hang up his boots.
Kohli’s glorious T20I career began in 2010 and the veteran batter went on to represent India in 125 T20Is scoring 4,188 runs averaging 48.69.
For India, this is their second T20 World Cup title win. The country won their first T20 World Cup title in 2007 (the inaugural edition of the tournament) defeating Pakistan in the final.
This T20 World Cup 2024 also ends India’s drought of trophies as they last won an ICC trophy back in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy under the leadership of MS Dhoni.