Shaheen Shah Afridi's reaction to Virat Kohli's retirement from T20 cricket after India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 highlights the mutual respect and healthy rivalry between the two cricket stars.
Kohli, at 35, decided to end his illustrious T20I career on a high note after helping India secure a narrow seven-run win over South Africa in the final. His significant contribution of 76 runs off 59 balls was pivotal in setting up a defendable total of 177.
In his retirement speech, Kohli expressed satisfaction with his decision and reflected on his journey in T20I cricket, emphasizing his desire to make the most of his final appearance and to hand over the reins to the next generation. His career, beginning in 2010, includes impressive stats: 4,188 runs in 125 T20Is with an average of 48.69. Kohli's legacy includes winning the U19 World Cup in 2008, the Cricket World Cup in 2011, the Champions Trophy in 2013, and now the T20 World Cup in 2024.
Shaheen Afridi, acknowledging Kohli's retirement on Instagram, praised the Indian team for their World Cup victory and noted the memorable end to Kohli's T20I career. He also congratulated Rohit Sharma, who announced his retirement from T20 cricket alongside Kohli. This marks India's second T20 World Cup title, with their first win in the inaugural 2007 tournament.
India's victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup is a significant milestone, breaking a decade-long drought of ICC trophies, their last being the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni's leadership.