After struggling for runs throughout the tournament, Virat Kohli rose to the occasion for India in the all-important T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados on Saturday (June 29).

The star batter played a brilliant knock of 59-ball 76, which propelled the Men in Blue to a stiff total of 176/7 in 20 overs after a horrible start.

In the second half, Indian pacers did a fabulous job to restrict the Proteas to 169/8, securing a tense seven-run victory and ending the team’s long-standing ICC trophy drought.

It was the third ICC title for Kohli, who had previously won the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013.

Hailing the Indian stalwart, former Pakistan cricketer Ahmad Shahzad said that India would have never won the T20 World Cup final without Virat Kohli's innings, which also earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.

Shahzad also added that no one should compare Babar Azam or any other cricketer to Kohli, who has 80 international centuries to his name.

"Virat Kohli is a legend of our generation and he is leaving behind a legacy in T20I cricket. He has always played his cricket with enthusiasm. Even in his last match, someone else was taking wickets and he was celebrating at long-on, long-off," Shahzad said while speaking to Bol India News.

"He didn't score runs in the whole World Cup but as destiny would have it, he scored runs in the final when one else scored and had Virat not scored in that final, India wouldn't have won. I think he's leaving a big legacy behind for the Indian team, for the rest of the world. It won't be easy for India to fill in the shoes of Virat Kohli in any format. Good luck to Indian cricket team to fit his shoes," he added.

Sharing his thoughts on the comparisons between Kohli and Babar Azam and sometimes even himself, Shahzad remarked, "There is no one like Virat Kohli, let alone me, let alone anybody else. People even compare him with Babar Azam. He should not be compared to anyone. He has an amazing strike rate and average in ICC tournaments. So he shouldn't be compared to anyone. He's one and only Virat Kohli, he got the send-off that he deserved. I am happy as a cricketer that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma got the send-offs that they both deserved."

Virat Kohli finished his T20I career with 4,188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69 and a strike rate of 137.04, including one hundred and 38 half-centuries.