Rohit Sharma Reflects on T20 World Cup Win, Career Milestone After 13-Year Wait

Rohit Sharma Reflects on World Cup Triumph and Career Longevity

The elation of clinching the T20 World Cup in 2024 still resonates deeply with Rohit Sharma. On June 29 of the previous year, in Barbados, India brought an end to an 11-year drought of ICC trophies. They triumphed over South Africa by seven runs, securing their second ICC T20 World Cup title. This victory marked Sharma's second ICC T20 World Cup win and his inaugural ICC title as captain. It came after the painful defeat against Australia in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final, despite India's impressive ten-match winning streak.

Exactly one year after that historic victory, India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma reminisced about the unforgettable day.

"Thirteen years is a long time. Most people don’t even have a 13-year career. So, to wait that long to win a World Cup… the last one I won was in 2007," he shared on JioHotstar’s show Champions Waali Feeling Phir Se.

"For me, it couldn't have gotten any bigger than this. I didn’t sleep the whole night. I was only thinking about the World Cup. I was nervous. I couldn’t feel my legs. Did I feel nerves? Of course. I just don’t show it—but inside, it was a lot," Rohit confessed.

"We were supposed to leave around 8:30 or 9 in the morning. But I woke up at 7. From my room, I could see the ground and just kept watching it. I remember thinking—‘In two hours, I’ll be there. And in four hours, the result will be out. Either the Cup will be here or it won’t,’” he added.

The tournament held added significance, marking the farewell of cricket legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the T20 format. Both players concluded their T20 careers with pride.

Rohit shone with the bat for India during the tournament, scoring 257 runs in eight innings, including three half-centuries. He maintained an average of 36.71 and a strike rate exceeding 155, making him the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.