Team India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma revealed that their desperation had reached heights and it allowed them to win the T20 World Cup last year. The 38-year-old stated that the sense of urgency and desperation was felt by everyone that they must win somehow after failing so many times.
Coming into the final against South Africa in Barbados, the Men in Blue hadn't won an ICC trophy since 2013 and hadn't won a World Cup since 2011. However, they broke that drought, restricting the Proteas seven runs short of the target of 177.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai, Rohit gave the below answer about how important was the T20 World Cup 2024 victory
"Mere liye hee nahin sabke liye important tha. 2011 mein India ne last World Cup jeeta tha aur uske baad hum kaafi dafa bahut paas aaye World Cup ke aur jeet nahin paaye. Toh woh desperation players ke beech mein, hamaare beech mein kaafi tha, ki hume jeetna hai. Itna paas tak aa rahe hain par jeet nahin paa rahe hain. Toh ek desperation tha, urgency thi, logon mein, team ke andar, players mein ki kaise bhi karke jeetna hai. That desperation played a huge role for us to win the World Cup."
(It was important not only for me but for everyone else too. India had last won the World Cup in 2011. We had come close many times but didn't win. So, that desperation was here among the players that we must win. We were coming close but not winning. So, there was that desperation, urgency within the people, team that somehow we must win. That desperation played a huge role for us to win the World Cup.)
Rohit Sharma retired from T20Is after the T20 World Cup 2024 final
The Nagpur-born cricketer had retired from T20I cricket following the T20 World Cup 2024 final, alongside Virat Kohli. The right-handed batter is still the leading run-getter in the format with 4231 runs in 159 matches at 32.05 with five hundreds.
He became the second Indian captain after MS Dhoni to win the T20I World Cup.
