Sharma Reflects on T20 World Cup Win, Nerves, and a 13-Year Wait for Glory

Rohit Sharma Reflects on T20 World Cup Victory: A Dream Realized After 13 Years

NEW DELHI: The euphoria of winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 is still palpable for Rohit Sharma. Last year, on June 29 in Barbados, India clinched its second ICC T20 World Cup title, ending an 11-year drought of ICC trophies by defeating South Africa by seven runs. This victory marked Rohit Sharma's second T20 World Cup win and his first ICC title as captain, especially poignant after the heartbreaking loss to Australia in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final, despite India's dominant ten-match winning streak.

Exactly one year after this significant triumph, 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 in an exclusive interview on JioHotstar’s special 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 also signified a pivotal moment for Indian cricket, serving as the farewell of two legends — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — from the T20 format. Both players concluded their journey in the shortest format with pride.

Rohit Sharma's performance with the bat was remarkable throughout the tournament, as he accumulated 257 runs in eight innings, which included three half-centuries. With an average of 36.71 and a strike rate exceeding 155, he emerged as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.