Rohit Sharma captained India to its second T20 World Cup title in 2024.
Rohit scored 257 runs during a fantastic ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. The right-hander, however, was unable to get going in the final, walking back to the hut after only managing nine runs off of five balls.
India had experienced severe heartbreak with their home defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup final, just eight months before the T20 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma recalled the victory on the first anniversary of the historic victory in Barbados, stating that he was anxious before the top match against South Africa.
"13 years is a lot of time. People don't have a career of 13 years. So, to wait for that long to win the World Cup, the last World Cup that I won was in 2007. For me, it couldn't have gotten any bigger than that, in my mind. The whole night, I didn't sleep. I was only thinking about the World Cup. Nervousness. I couldn't feel my legs waking up," said Rohit Sharma on JioHotstar.
"I don't show my nervousness, but it was inside me. In the morning, I think we were supposed to leave at 8:30-9. In the morning, I woke up at seven or something. In the morning, you're feeling that the match is about to start. And I can see the ground in front of my room. Then I was just watching that. And I'm like, okay, in the next two hours, I'll be there. I don't know what is going to happen after four hours. After four hours, the result must have come. Either the cup will be here or there," he added.
Rain was predicted for the final, and the Indian captain, who retired from Twenty20 Internationals following the World Cup victory, recalled that he didn't want the rain gods to get in the way.
He added that although he maintained a composed demeanor, he was actually quite anxious and imagined winning the trophy and breaking India's ICC title drought.
"You will always visualize nice things. And in life, you will not always get nice things. I remember going to the ground from the hotel. I was just not talking to anyone. I had coffee in my hand. I was just sipping the coffee. Again, there was a forecast for rain. I said, No, man. We don't want any rain. Let the game start on time and let it finish on time. Because there was, of course, a reserve day as well. But I was so nervous," said Rohit.
"I couldn't wait for another day to go through that same emotion. I was watching the rest of the team. Everyone was relaxed. I was relaxed too. But in my mind, obviously, it's there. I'm the captain. And we have to do it for our nation. Everybody's itching for it. And it's a prime time in India. 7.30. Yeah, everybody's watching," he added.
It should be noted that Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli all retired from international T20Is following the T20 World Cup victory.