‘The best way to go’: West Indies legends praise Virat Kohli as he retires from T20Is – Times of India

NEW DELHI: West Indies legends Chris Gayle and Ian Bishop have congratulated the Indian team for winning the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, especially Virat Kohli, who announced his retirement from international T20 cricket.

Kohli, the second-highest T20I run-scorer with 4,188 runs, capped his career with a vital innings in the final against South Africa.

In the final, Kohli scored 76 off 59 balls, with six fours and two sixes, aiding India in reaching a total of 176/7. Despite a challenging tournament, Kohli delivered under pressure, showcasing his exceptional skills one last time on the T20I stage.



Chris Gayle praised Kohli for his significant performance in the final. “Virat Kohli always comes to the crunch, and he makes that punch he did that in the final. Congratulations India, it was a good game. Hard luck to South Africa,” Gayle told ANI.

Ian Bishop also appreciated Kohli’s decision to retire, lauding his final performance. “This is the best way to go (Virat Kohli’s retirement). You want to go out with people grasping for more. I am happy for him personally. This has been a tough tournament, but this is a step-up class in his career,” Bishop stated.



India’s journey to the title was marked by meticulous planning and execution, leading them to become the first team to win the T20 World Cup title unbeaten.

Bishop further highlighted India’s journey by saying, “India planned well and executed well. They were led well by Rohit Sharma but more than him, led by Virat in the final, led by Bumrah also in the tournament. This is an excellent bonus for all the hard work they put in. With all the results India have, they will be hoping this is another start to the long run,” he added.



India’s final match saw a tense finish, but they successfully defended their score, securing a 7-run victory and their second T20 World Cup title. This win ended an 11-year ICC trophy drought for India.