Sanjay Manjrekar Criticizes Virat Kohli's Knock Despite India's T20 World Cup Win, Says Bowlers Deserved Player of the Match Award

Virat Kohli was named Man of the Match in the finals of the T20 WC 2024, but Sanjay Manjrekar criticized his innings, calling it a slow knock that limited Hardik Pandya's batting time.

T20 World Cup 2024: Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar posted a heartfelt message on social media platform X after India's T20 World Cup victory. He credited captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for the team's success, ending a 13-year wait for an ICC title. However, fans quickly noticed the absence of Virat Kohli in his post. Kohli, named 'Man of the Match' in the final against South Africa, was overlooked, sparking backlash from fans.

Manjrekar wrote, "Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid & Ajit Agarkar are your people with absolute integrity. So happy that they had something to show in the end! My heart goes out to them."

Virat Kohli's Crucial Knock In The Final

Virat Kohli was India's top run-scorer in the final, playing a crucial role in the team's victory at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. He started aggressively, hitting three fours in the first over. After India lost some wickets, Kohli slowed down to ensure he stayed till the end, scoring 76 runs off 59 balls with a strike rate of around 130, including 6 fours and 2 sixes. His innings helped India post 176 runs, winning the game by 7 runs to claim their second T20 World Cup title. Kohli was named Player of the Match for his performance.

Majrekar's Crticism On Virat Kohli Final Innings

In an interview, Manjrekar criticized Kohli's innings, stating it slowed down the scoring and limited Hardik Pandya's opportunities. "By playing that innings, Hardik Pandya, one of their most devastating batters, had just two balls to face. So I thought India's batting was good, but Virat Kohli had potentially played an innings that would've put India in a tight corner. And it almost proved to be that, before these guys' bowlers came in the end."

Andy Flower, part of the discussion, added that Kohli would have faced criticism had India lost. He noted that Kohli was focused on building partnerships and might not have had a clear idea of the ideal total. "If India had been pipped there, there would've been a lot of criticism going Virat Kohli's way, I'd reckon. At the halfway mark, I thought India had enough, and that it was going to be a very difficult chase for South Africa."

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Announced Retirement From T20Is 

Time heals everything, they say, and it did for Rohit Sharma. Seven months ago, he was an emotional wreck, but on Saturday, his joy knew no bounds. Rohit teared up, hugged his partner-in-crime, Virat Kohli, and announced his retirement from T20Is with a grin on his face. It was a rare and fulfilling moment for him.

India needed Virat Kohli's anchoring role in the final after they were 34 for 3 on a bright morning in Barbados against a formidable South African bowling unit. Kohli scored 50 off 48 balls, one of his slowest innings in the format, but he accelerated towards the end, finishing with 76 off 57 balls and helping India post a total of 176, the highest in a men’s T20 World Cup final.

In the match, Virat Kohli's brilliant knock of 76 runs off 59 balls helped India post 176 runs for 7 wickets. The game came down to the wire as Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller threatened to take it away from India with some powerful hitting. But Hardik Pandya struck at a crucial moment, dismissing Klaasen and bringing India back into the game. Rohit Sharma, who also bowled the penultimate over, dismissed Miller with the first ball of that over. He kept his nerve and finished the over with precision, securing India’s T20 World Cup title.

With Rohit Sharma deciding to play only ODIs and Tests from now on, it remains to be seen who will fill his place in T20Is. Shubman Gill has been named captain for the Zimbabwe tour, while Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav have been given a rest after the hectic T20 World Cup campaign.