(Source X)
Shahid Afridi expressed his sentiment that Virat Kohli’s retirement from T20I cricket was premature, believing Kohli’s presence enriched the format with his skill and charisma.
Following India’s victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa, Kohli revealed to the host broadcaster that he would no longer participate in T20Is, marking the conclusion of his international career in the format. Despite the surprise announcement, Kohli had made his decision to retire from T20Is beforehand, independent of the championship outcome.
Shahid Afridi believes Virat Kohli shouldn’t have retired from T20I cricket.
In an interview with News24 Sports, Shahid Afridi expressed his view that Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from T20Is was unnecessary. Afridi praised Kohli for his ability to elevate the beauty of T20I cricket through his performances.
“Virat (Kohli) has his class. He shouldn’t have left T20 cricket. T20Is looked beautiful because of him,” Afridi stated
In response to queries about Kohli’s retirement from T20Is, Afridi emphasized that Kohli remains physically capable of playing the format. He added that apart from his own formidable skills, Kohli could also offer crucial support to the emerging talents joining the team.
“Why can’t he play? He is in form, he is fit, and he trains daily. If he is playing, the new players will also get support because you can’t bring all the youngsters at one time. You make a combination of seniors and juniors to form a team. These youngsters can learn so much from Virat (Kohli),” Afridi added.
In response to queries about Kohli’s retirement from T20Is, Afridi emphasized that Kohli remains physically capable of playing the format. He added that apart from his own formidable skills, Kohli could also offer crucial support to the emerging talents joining the team.
Virat Kohli concluded his T20I career as the second-highest run-scorer in the format, accumulating 4188 runs in 125 matches at an impressive average of 48.69 and a striking rate of 137.04. His tally includes 1 century and 38 half-centuries, placing him just behind Rohit Sharma, who tops the list with 4231 runs from 159 T20Is.
Despite a lackluster performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he managed only 151 runs in 8 matches at an average of 18.87, Kohli showcased his resilience in the final against South Africa. With India struggling at 34-3, the 35-year-old anchored the innings brilliantly, scoring a crucial 76 off 59 balls. His innings, embellished with 6 fours and 2 sixes, guided India to a competitive total of 176-7. In response, South Africa fell short, finishing at 169-8 in their 20 overs. Kohli’s pivotal knock earned him the Player of the Match award.
His heroic performance in the final helped India clinch their first ICC trophy in 11 years. Following the tournament, both Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja also announced their retirements from T20I cricket.
