When the chips were down and India were reeling early, Kohli hit a perfect 76-run knock to take India to a solid total.The bowlers then successfully defended the total in a thrilling finale as India ended an over-a-decade long ICC title drought.
After clinching the T20 World Cup title, the team on Thursday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he asked Kohli about his see-saw journey at the World Cup.
Taking the PM through his title journey, Kohli admitted that he was not confident while batting throughout the World Cup but surrendered himself to the situation in the final.
PM Modi’s interaction with World T20 Champions Indian Cricket Team
“I will always cherish that day (of the final). Throughout the tournament, I was not able to make the contributions that I wanted to make. At one time, I told Rahul bhai, ‘I haven’t done justice to myself and the team till now’. He said, ‘when the situation will arise, I trust that you will perform’, Kohli said.
“The way my tournament was going, I didn’t have that much confidence when I was going in to play. Had doubts whether I would be able to perform the way I wanted. When we went in to play (in the final), and when I got three boundaries in first 4 balls, I told Rohit, ‘what a game this is. One day you feel you won’t be able to score a single run, and the other day, everything falls into place and good things happen’.
“When wickets fell early, I understood that I had to surrender to the situation, for the team. The only thing I was focussing on was what’s necessary for the team. I felt, I was pushed into that zone. I was into that moment.
Later I realised that whatever is supposed to happen, it happens. It was bound to happen to me and to the team (title win). From the situation we won the final, we lived each and every single delivery towards the end. From the point where the final turned around. What was going through us, we cannot explain,” Kohli said.
The PM hosted the T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team for breakfast during which, he said, there were ‘memorable’ conversations on the side’s experiences through the marquee event co-hosted by USA and the West Indies.
The Rohit-led squad, that won the title after defeating South Africa by seven runs in the final last week, arrived in Delhi early Thursday morning after being stranded in Bridgetown, Barbados for five days due to a category 4 hurricane.
The PM was flanked by Rohit and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid in the group picture.
Several players later shared photos with the PM.