All About Virat Kohli Retirement

It would not be wrong to say that the Indian team is going through mixed feelings, after lifting their second ICC T20 World Cup trophy by defeating South Africa in the final of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at Kingstown Oval Stadium in Barbados. It’s because, at one end, India has won the prestigious trophy after a long wait of years. In contrast, on the other end, one of the best players in the world has announced his retirement from the shortest format of the game after representing the Indian team in 125 T20Is where he has scored 4188 runs with a batting average of 48.96 having 38 half-centuries and 1 hundred to his name. Through this new piece, we will look at  Virat Kohli’s 3 best Knocks in T20I international cricket, from playing his first game in 2010 to representing Men in Blue in the finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Top 3 Best T20I Kncoks Of Virat Kohli

1. 76* vs South Africa ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Final

On number 1, we have a knock that helped the Indian team to win their 2nd ICC World Cup T20 trophy after a long wait of 17 years in the final of ICC T20 World Cup against South Africa at Barbados.

After winning the toss, India decided to bat first in the marquee event.But like the previous game throughout the tournament, the Indian openers, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, were unable to give a good start to the Indian team as the Indian captain got out on the score of just 9 runs in the 2nd over. Later, 2 back to back-to-back wickets of Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar pulled the game back towards the Proteas as Men in Blue were 3-wickets down on the score of 34 runs and Virat Kohli has been seen struggling throughout the tournament, where he is unable to score even a single-half century in his name. But he didn't disappoint his captain and coach, who kept backing him up in the previous game, as he not only handled the pressure condition but also made a solid partnership of 72 runs with Axar Patel, taking the Indian team to a defendable total.

Kohli scored a match-winning knock of 76 runs in 59 balls by hitting 6 boundaries and 2 maximums all over the ground, which helped the Indian team to defend the total by 7 runs. Virat Kohli was awarded with player of the match for his incredible contribution, ending his T20I career on a high note.

2. 82* vs Pakistan, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022

On number 2, we have a knock that will be remembered for a long time in the cricketing world as it came against India's arch-rival Pakistan, at Melbourne. After India won the toss and decided to bowl at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 159 runs on the scoreboard with two fifty-plus knocks by Shan Masood and Iftikhar Ahmed after they were 2 wickets down on the score of 19 runs.

In the second innings, India's chase didn't start well as both the openers Kl Rahul and Rohit Sharma got out on the score of 4-4 each, the Indian team were 4 wickets down on the score of 31 runs after the back-to-back wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel, with Kohli and Hardik at the crease, before this match Kohli was going through a rough phase, where he was not unbaled to score runs for which he was even criticized by fans and many former Indian cricketers.

However, the stage was already set for the chase machine to play one of the most unbelievable innings of his career. Virat Kohli showed why he is called as one of the greatest batsmen in the world by making a partnership of 113 runs for the 4th wicket with Hardik Pandya. Taking the Indian team to chase 28 of eight balls, which was difficult for any batsman in the world, but not for Virat Kohli as he smashed Haris Rauf for 2 incredible sixes, which changed the momentum of the game. Kohli remained unbeaten during this innings and played a crucial role in India's victory over Pakistan.

3. 122* vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2022

It's the first and the only hundred of Virat Kohli in the shorter format of the game, that came against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup 2022. This inning is special because Kohli returned from a difficult phase and scored 122 runs at Dubai while opening the innings for the Indian team.

With Kohli's unbeaten ton, India posted a mammoth total of 212 runs. The Indian Run-Machine hit 12 fours and six maximum during this inning with an aggressive strike rate of 200 plus.