Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya

Photo : AP

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli hung up their boots as India defeated South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. The Men In Blue ended a long 13-year wait to lay their hand on a World Cup title.

It emerged to be a perfect platform for the duo as they bid goodbye to the T20Is on a winning note. Vice Captain Hardik Pandya paid a wonderful tribute to the departing duo as he insisted the players all will miss them in the future.

‘I am very happy for both Rohit and Virat…two giants and legends of Indian cricket thoroughly deserved this. It has been so amazing playing with them for so many years. We all will miss them but at the same point, this is the best farewell we can give them.”

Coming to the match Virat Kohli played a wonderful knock of 76 runs in 59 balls as India posted 176 runs on the board at a loss of seven wickets. It came down to the wire as Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller threatened to take the game away from the Men In Blue with some insane hitting all over the ground.

But it was Hardik who managed to strike at the very crucial moment and Klaasen’s dismissal brought India back to the game. The Mumbai Indians captain also bowled the penultimate over and dismissed Miller in the first ball of that over.

He then kept his nerve and finished the over with supreme precision as India lifted the T20 World Cup title. It remains to be seen who fills in the place of Rohit Sharma who decided to play only ODIs and Tests from now on.

Shubman Gill has been named captain for the Zimbabwe tour as the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav have been given a rest given the hectic T20 World Cyp campaign.