India lifted their second T20 World Cup after 17 years on Saturday by thrashing South Africa by seven runs in Barbados on June 29. After the match, the King of Cricket Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from the shortest format. Rohit ends his T20I career as the highest run-scorer with 4231 runs, followed by Kohli with 4188 runs. Finishing a stellar T20I career with a Player of the Match performance, King Kohli once again let the bat do all the talking. Kohli ends his international career in the shortest format with the most runs scored by any player at ICC Men's T20 World Cups - 1,292 between 2012 and 2024, in 33 innings across 35 matches, averaging 58.72, with a strike rate of 128.81. In this blog, we take a look at the top 5 performances of Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup history.

Top 5 performances of King of Cricket Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup history

1. 76 vs South Africa- T20 World Cup 2024 Final

Virat Kohli is known to be the man for big occasions. Brushing off his poor batting form in the tournament before the all-important Final against South Africa in Barbados, he stepped up when it mattered the most to smash 76 runs off just 59 balls, securing himself yet another Player of the Match award as India won the T20 World Cup 2024 by seven runs. 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 smashed 38 half-centuries and 1 hundred. There was joy, tears, and tension as India maintained their composure and beat South Africa by seven runs in a nail-biting match.

2. 82* vs Pakistan - T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12

It was India vs Pakistan, and once again, it was Virat Kohli. With India reeling on 31/4, chasing a target of 160, it needed an excellent performance from a world-class player. The full house MCG crowd was entertained as Kohli partnered with star allrounder Hardik Pandya to pull off a stunning victory in the final ball of this Super 12 match, finishing with 82 runs off just 53 balls. With India needing 28 runs off 8 balls, Kohli played a couple of unforgettable shots: A straight six off Haris Rauf followed by another six, an almost casual flick through square leg. It still took a no-ball and a wide in the final over to take India through. This innings has gone down as the greatest ever in T20Is.

3. 82* vs Australia - T20 World Cup 2016 Super 10

In 2016, Virat Kohli began the year with three consecutive fifties in the T20Is against Australia. He followed it with an iconic 82* against the same opponents at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2016 in Mohali. The King of Cricket saw yet another run-chase home in Mohali. Chasing a target of 161, India were reeling at 49/3. With a place in the knockout stage on the line, the Men in Blue needed 39 from the last 18 balls - and Kohli came out all guns blazing, smashing 32 runs off 11 balls and guiding his side to a famous Super 10 stage win. This knock was undoubtedly one of the finest in T20 World Cup history. King Kohli's masterclass 89* against eventual champions West Indies was sadly not enough for India, but Kohli's 273 runs earned him a second successive Player of the Tournament award.

4. 72* vs South Africa - T20 World Cup 2014 Semi-Finals

The T20 World Cup 2014 came at a point when Virat Kohli was just about entering the peak of his career. He was dominating the World Stage like no other batter in the world. Chasing a target of 173 in the all-important semi-final against South Africa, it was all set for Kohli. He smashed 72* runs off 43 balls, including five fours and two sixes, to guide India to the final. It almost seemed like he enjoyed playing on the international stage. Virat Kohli scored 319 runs and showed brilliance with a hard-fought 77 in the final against Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, the Men in Blue finished as runners-up, but Kohli was named Player of the tournament, scoring the most runs.

5. 78* vs Pakistan - T20 World Cup 2012 Super 8

Virat Kohli's initial years in T20Is were not that good. He registered his first half-century in 2012, scoring 68 against Sri Lanka in Kandy. However, Kohli came to the party in the T20 World Cup 2012. The World Cup in Sri Lanka marked the true arrival of Kohli in the shortest format. Talking about the Cricket news, it was quite a memorable match in Colombo in the Super Eights, as King Kohli scored 78* runs off 61 balls, putting on an important 3rd wicket partnership with Yuvraj Singh to guide India to an eight-wicket win against arch-rivals Pakistan. Kohli won the Player of the Match award thanks to his contribution with the ball, taking 1 wicket and giving 21 runs. Virat Kohli finished the T20 World Cup campaign, smashing 185 runs in 5 games and establishing himself as a formidable T20I player.