KOHLI LAUDS 'NATIONAL TREASURE' BUMRAH, READY TO SIGN PETITION TO CALL HIM 'EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD'

During Team India's felicitation ceremony at the Wankhede Stadium, on Thursday (July 4), Virat Kohli was in awe of Jasprit Bumrah and asked the crowd to give him a special round of applause for his T20 World Cup 2024 heroics. In the mega 20-nation event, in West Indies and the USA, Rohit Sharma-led India remained unbeaten and beat South Africa, by 7 runs, in the mega final in Barbados on June 29. Bumrah ended with the Player-of-the-Tournament award, claiming 15 wickets (third-most) at 4.17 and an economy rate of 8.26. His death-bowling masterclass versus the Proteas helped India claw their way back into the final and eventually emerge on top.

Kohli recalled Bumrah's exceptional end-overs spell in the final, where he conceded just 6 runs in his last two overs, and stated, "You know what I'd like everyone to do is applaud a guy who brought us back into games again and again and again in this tournament. What he did in those last five overs, bowling two out of the last five overs, it was phenomenal. A huge round of applause for Jasprit Bumrah, please." 

When asked by the felicitation ceremony's host Gaurav Kapoor if he is wiling to sign a petition to term Bumrah as the 'national treasure and 'eighth wonder of the world', Kohli said, "I'll sign the petition now. He is a once-in-a-generation bowler."

At the start of the 16th over, Proteas needed just 30 off 30 balls in their run-chase of 177 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados before Bumrah came and changed the course of the game. From thereon, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya (3 for 20) also jumped in to help India win by 7 runs.

Thus, Kohli further opined, "Like everyone in the stadium [here], we also felt at one point if it is going to slip away again, but what happened in those [last] five overs was truly, truly special."

Also read: Team India return home: Will remember hugging Rohit after T20 World Cup final win, says Virat Kohli

Kohli also recalled hugging Indian captain Rohit after India's narrow win in the final. He added, "Rohit and I, we've been trying this for so long. We always wanted to win a World Cup. Bringing the trophy back to Wankhede is a very special feeling... When I was walking up the stairs, I was crying. Rohit was crying. I will never forget that moment."

Both Kohli and Rohit announced their T20I retirement shortly after India's win in the final on June 29. The following day, Ravindra Jadeja also joined them in the retirement club as the trio have made way for the younger lot to take India's mantle forward in the shortest format.

2024-07-05T03:27:29Z dg43tfdfdgfd