Bridgetown [Barbados], After the second title win of the ICC T20 World Cup, India's star batsman Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is and came out on top with a match-winning knock of 76 runs in the title clash against South Africa.
An excellent display of death bowling by the trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and stupendous knocks from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel helped India end their ICC trophy drought, securing their second Cup title ICC T20 World Cup by beating South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados on Saturday.
Speaking after the match at a post-match presentation, Virat said: "This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel like you can't run and this happens, God is great." Just the occasion, a now or never situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India. We wanted to raise that glass. It wasn't something we wouldn't announce even if we'd wasted time getting the next generation. The T20 game has been a long wait for us, hoping to win an ICC tournament. Look at someone like Rohit, he has played 9 T20 World Cups and this is his sixth.
After managing just 75 runs in the first seven innings of the contest, Virat stepped up when it mattered most, scoring 76 off 59 balls, with six fours and two sixes. His runs had a strike rate of 128.81.
Virat has ended the current edition with 151 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 112.68, with a fifty.
In 35 T20 World Cup matches, Virat scored 1,292 runs at an average of 58.72 and a strike rate of 128.81, with 15 half-centuries. His best score is 89*. He is the leading run-scorer in the history of the tournament.
In 125 T20I matches, Virat scored 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04. He scored a century and 38 fifties and a best score of 122*. He finishes the format as the second-best running back of all time.
Coming into the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 34/3, a 72-run counter-attacking partnership between Virat (76) and Axar Patel (47 off 31 balls, with one four and four sixes) restored India's position in the game. A 57-run stand between Virat and Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls, with three fours and a six) took India to 176/7 in their 20 overs.
Keshav Maharaj (2/23) and Anrich Nortje (2/26) were SA's best players. Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram took a wicket each.
In the 177-run chase, the Proteas were reduced to 12/2 and then a 58-run partnership between Quinton de Kock (39 off 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21 balls, with three fours and a six) brought SA back into the game. Heinrich Klaasen's half-century (52 off 27 balls, with two fours and five sixes) threatened to take the game away from India. However, Arshdeep Singh (2/18), Jasprit Bumrah (2/20) and Hardik (3/20) made an excellent comeback in the death overs, keeping SA at 169/8 in their 20 overs.
Virat got the 'Man of the Match' award for his performance. Now, by clinching their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013, India has ended its ICC trophy drought.
An excellent display of death bowling by the trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and stupendous knocks from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel helped India end their ICC trophy drought, securing their second Cup title ICC T20 World Cup by beating South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados on Saturday.
Speaking after the match at a post-match presentation, Virat said: "This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel like you can't run and this happens, God is great." Just the occasion, a now or never situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India. We wanted to raise that glass. It wasn't something we wouldn't announce even if we'd wasted time getting the next generation. The T20 game has been a long wait for us, hoping to win an ICC tournament. Look at someone like Rohit, he has played 9 T20 World Cups and this is his sixth.
After managing just 75 runs in the first seven innings of the contest, Virat stepped up when it mattered most, scoring 76 off 59 balls, with six fours and two sixes. His runs had a strike rate of 128.81.
Virat has ended the current edition with 151 runs in eight innings at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 112.68, with a fifty.
In 35 T20 World Cup matches, Virat scored 1,292 runs at an average of 58.72 and a strike rate of 128.81, with 15 half-centuries. His best score is 89*. He is the leading run-scorer in the history of the tournament.
In 125 T20I matches, Virat scored 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04. He scored a century and 38 fifties and a best score of 122*. He finishes the format as the second-best running back of all time.
Coming into the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 34/3, a 72-run counter-attacking partnership between Virat (76) and Axar Patel (47 off 31 balls, with one four and four sixes) restored India's position in the game. A 57-run stand between Virat and Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls, with three fours and a six) took India to 176/7 in their 20 overs.
Keshav Maharaj (2/23) and Anrich Nortje (2/26) were SA's best players. Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram took a wicket each.
In the 177-run chase, the Proteas were reduced to 12/2 and then a 58-run partnership between Quinton de Kock (39 off 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21 balls, with three fours and a six) brought SA back into the game. Heinrich Klaasen's half-century (52 off 27 balls, with two fours and five sixes) threatened to take the game away from India. However, Arshdeep Singh (2/18), Jasprit Bumrah (2/20) and Hardik (3/20) made an excellent comeback in the death overs, keeping SA at 169/8 in their 20 overs.
Virat got the 'Man of the Match' award for his performance. Now, by clinching their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013, India has ended its ICC trophy drought.
