Indian star batter Virat Kohli credited his wife, Anushka Sharma, for the team's victory in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, saying it wouldn't have been possible without her.
The Men in Blue bagged their second World Cup trophy as they defeated South Africa in the final by seven runs. The team won their first in 2007 after beating Pakistan in the final.
Taking to Instagram, Kohli, who retired from T20I after the historic win, shared a picture with Anushka celebrating the team's win.
Expressing his gratitude to his wife, the star batter said: "None of this would remotely be possible without you my love. You keep me humble, grounded and you always say it how it is with absolute honesty."
"I couldn’t be more grateful for you. This victory is as much yours as it’s mine. Thank you and I love you for being YOU," he wrote on the app.
Kohli played his last T20 cricket match on Saturday as he announced his retirement from the shorter format after sailing India to World Cup victory.
"This was my last T20 World Cup, and this is what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel you can't get a run, then things happen. God is great, and I got the job done for the team on the day it mattered.
India joined England and the West Indies to win the T20 World Cup title two times as they won their first in 2007 by beating Pakistan in the final.
The defeat was almost a certainty for India but Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya turned the tide for Rohit Sharma’s side in the 16th and 17th over.
Chasing the target, the Proteas had a difficult start as they lost two wickets, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram, but Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs’ 68-run partnership put South Africa back in the driving seat.
South Africa had everything in their hands as Heinrich Klaasen took Axar Patel to the cleaners and smashed him for 22 runs in the 15th over.
The Proteas concluded their innings at 169-8 in the allocated overs. For India, Pandya bagged three, Arshdeep and Bumrah picked two and Patel got one wicket to his name.
Earlier in the first innings, Kohli top-scored for the Indian team as he scored 76 runs on 59 balls with the help of six fours and two sixes.
