Virat Kohli topples MS Dhoni, achieves rare feat post T20 WC win
Virat Kohli surpassed the legendary MS Dhoni to accomplish a rare milestone following Team India’s emotional and historic T20 World Cup victory over South Africa in Barbados during the weekend.
By laying his hands on the T20 World Cup title, Virat Kohli clinched a trophy that eluded him for over a decade and a half during his illustrious career.
With Rohit Sharma and his men securing a nail-biting seven-run triumph over the Proteas on Saturday, Virat Kohli became only the first cricketer to lift the U-19 World Cup, ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy, and the T20 World Cup titles – a feat not even achieved by his former captain MS Dhoni.
Fans on social media called the achievement the completion of a set of cricket, something unparalleled in the echelons of the sport.
For those who are unaware, international cricket features four ICC events – the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup, the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship.
Of these four, Virat Kohli has won the first three, with the fourth the only piece of missing silverware from his trophy cabinet. But he has won the U-19 World Cup, making his feat unique.
While MS Dhoni has claimed the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup, the Champions Trophy titles, he failed to win the U-19 World Cup during his junior days.
Interestingly, MS Dhoni congratulated the Indian cricket team on their sensational win in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.
“WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS 2024. My heart rate was up, well done on being calm, having the self belief and doing what u guys did. From all the Indians back home and everywhere in the world a big thank you for bringing the World Cup Home. CONGRATULATIONS. arreeee thanks for the priceless birthday gift,” MS Dhoni said on Instagram.
Meanwhile, netizens showered their love on Virat Kohli after he announced his retirement from the international T20 format after the Rohit Sharma-led side beat South Africa in a nerve-wracking title final in the West Indies.
“This was my last T20 World Cup and this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. This is an amazing game, I was telling Rohit today when we went out to bat that one day you feel like you can’t get a run, and then you come out and things happen. God is great. I bow my head in gratitude. I’m really grateful was able to get the job done for the team when it mattered the most,” Virat Kohli revealed after collecting the Player-of-the-Match award in the thrilling final against South Africa.
“This is my last T20 game playing for India, my last World Cup I was going to play. I wanted to make the most of it. And this was our aim. We wanted to win an ICC tournament, we wanted to lift the cup. As I said, it was the occasion that helped me put my head down and respect the situation rather than trying to force things out there, and play the game my team wanted me to play,” he added.
“Yes, I have. This was an open secret, it was not something that I was not going to announce if we’d lost. This was going to be my last T20 World Cup playing for India, it’s time for the next generation to take over. Two-year cycle, there are some amazing players playing in India, they’re going to take the team forward in the T20 format, and do wonders as we’ve seen them do in the IPL. I’ve no doubts they’ll keep the flag waving high, and really take this team further from here now,” the 35-year-old said in response to a question if he was confirming his retirement from T20Is.
“Look, it’s been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. It’s not just me alone, you look at someone like Rohit [Sharma, the captain] as well. He’s played nine T20 World Cups, this is my sixth. So he deserves it as much as anyone else in the squad, we’re just happy we were able to get the job done, and really it’s hard to explain the emotions I felt after the game, I knew what kind of mindset I was in. I wasn’t really confident in the last few games, I wasn’t feeling really good out there, but when god has to bless you with something, he blesses you in ways you can’t imagine. That’s why I’m very grateful and humbled right now and I bow my head,” he underlined.
“It’s really difficult to hold things back, it’s going to sink in a little later, and the emotions are going to come to the surface a little later more, but it’s just an amazing day, I couldn’t be more thankful,” Virat Kohli continued.
“To be honest, I couldn’t have imagined this in my wildest dreams, also considering how my tournament had gone so far. Great lesson for me, really humbled by the game big time. Put my head down and ego on the side. If you think you are everything and can do wonders, you are nothing. You really have to put your head down, and respect the situation. And God showed me that if you get too ahead of yourself, then I will pull you back and I will keep you in your spot,” he noted.
“Today I just felt different. I was more anchored, more in-sync with the situation. And I was given the composure to just put aside everything that had gone on till now. You are a senior player and people look at you to contribute and to win a World Cup. Rohit and I have spoken many times previously that before we go, we need to win in this format. You can’t imagine these things in your wildest dreams,” the former Team India captain expressed.
After India won the toss and decided to bat first, the Men in Blue lost two early wickets of captain Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant. However, on the sport’s biggest stage, Virat Kohli put his hand up as he scored an impressive 76 off 59 balls.
Virat Kohli held the Indian innings together as he blocked one end while the other batters like Axar Patel and Shivam Dube played around him.
One must not forget that the Delhi-born cricketer was appearing in the final after seven consecutive failures in the 2024 T20 World Cup, including ducks against the USA and Australia.
But when the Indian cricket team found itself in a deep hole, and when it mattered the most, Virat Kohli was the one who delivered the goods, proving Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid correct.
With the dry pitch at the Kensington Oval making run-scoring difficult for batters, Virat Kohli quickly realized that it wasn’t a track to play aggressive cricket and quickly shifted gears.
From an aggressor, he transformed himself into an accumulator, who anchored the Indian innings, allowing Axar Patel and Shivam Dube to play their natural game. The tactic gave them the license to go for the kill. While the former contributed 47 off 31, the latter played an entertaining cameo of 27 off 16 balls.
More importantly, the two were involved in crucial partnerships of 72 and 57 runs, respectively, with Virat Kohli.
The trinity was responsible for India’s eventual total of 176/7 in their allocated 20 overs.
Needing 177 to clinch their maiden International Cricket Council (ICC) title, South Africa was rocked back early with India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah striking in the second over before his new ball partner Arshdeep Singh removed the Proteas skipper Aiden Markram in the third.
At 2/12, it looked like the South African essay was about to crumble. Things, however, started to turn rapidly as the veteran Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs got together to stitch a partnership of 58 runs.
Subsequently, the momentum swung completely in favor of South Africa as Heinrich Klaasen took on the Indian spinners, and brought down the equation to 30 runs off 30 balls.
Just when it appeared certain that the Rainbow nation would run away with the T20 World Cup trophy in the Caribbean, a short injury break taken by Rishabh Pant went on to turn the match on its head.
The break caused a lapse in Heinrich Klaasen’s concentration, who lost his wicket to Hardik Pandya for 52 off 27 deliveries in the 17th over.
Jasprit Bumrah bowled the 18th over and gave nothing away. He even scalped Marko Jenson to have one foot in the door.
With pressure mounting on David Miller and only the tail to follow, the South Africans wilted under pressure as India snatched defeat from the hands of defeat to claim their first T20 World Cup title after 17 years.
Team India’s 7-run victory over South Africa also ensured that the sub-continental powerhouse ended their 11-year wait for an ICC title and their 13-year drought from World Cups.
India’s last World Cup win was in 2011, while they won their maiden T20 World Cup crown in 2007. Both of these victories in white-ball cricket came under MS Dhoni.
Besides, MS Dhoni guided India to victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Now, Rohit Sharma joins the 42-year-old in an elite list of Indian skippers who have won an ICC competition in limited-overs cricket.
The post Virat Kohli topples MS Dhoni, achieves rare feat post T20 WC win appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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