Former India captain Rohit Sharma has opened up about the emotional bear-hug he shared with Virat Kohli moments after India lifted the 2024 T20 World Cup trophy in Barbados. Rohit described the moment as the culmination of “years of doing everything together,” emphasising that both he and Kohli felt immense responsibility during what they knew would be their final attempt at the T20 crown.
Rohit led from the front throughout the tournament, finishing as one of India’s top performers with 257 runs at an impressive strike rate of 156.71—remarkable numbers considering the challenging, bowler-friendly conditions.
Virat Kohli, who struggled for consistency earlier in the competition, rose to the occasion in the final with a match-defining 76 off 59 deliveries. His knock helped India post 176/7, a total the bowlers defended with grit to secure a seven-run victory over South Africa.
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Reflecting on that iconic hug, Rohit said, “There was so much riding on us to take the team through. It’s not that others weren’t hungry, but we were the seniormost. When he came into the team, I’d only been around for a year. We literally did everything together—played so much cricket side by side except the IPL. And we’ve seen plenty of setbacks in World Cups. We knew this was our last T20 World Cup, and that made it even more special.”
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The moment went viral, later shared by the ICC on Instagram, capturing the raw emotion between two modern greats who have carried Indian cricket for more than a decade.
Both Rohit and Kohli announced their retirement from T20Is immediately after the final, ending their white-ball leadership era on a historic high. Earlier this year, the pair also stepped away from Test cricket within days of each other.
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Now, as they continue to push their fitness and form, both are eyeing one last major milestone—earning a place in India’s squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, a goal that could add another memorable chapter to their storied partnership
