Rohit Sharma Reflects on T20 World Cup Win, Reveals Nerves and Career Perspective

Rohit Sharma Reflects on World Cup Triumph and Career Longevity

Rohit Sharma still vividly remembers the elation of lifting the T20 World Cup in 2024. On June 29th last year, in Barbados, India broke an 11-year ICC trophy drought by defeating South Africa by seven runs, securing their second ICC T20 World Cup title. This victory marked Rohit Sharma's second T20 World Cup win and his first ICC title as captain. It came after the painful defeat against Australia in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final on home soil, despite a dominant ten-match winning streak.

Exactly one year after that historic victory, 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 held special significance as it marked the farewell of two Indian cricket legends — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — from the T20 format. Both players departed from the shortest format with pride.

Rohit was a standout performer with the bat for India throughout the tournament, accumulating 257 runs in eight innings, including three half-centuries. He maintained an average of 36.71 and a strike rate exceeding 155, ultimately becoming the second-highest run-scorer in the competition.