“I could barely feel my legs”: Rohit Sharma reflects on nerves before leading India to T20 World Cup glory in 2024

Rohit Sharma opened up about the anxiety he experienced while gearing up for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final. On June 29, he led India to their second T20 World Cup title, securing a seven-run win over South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

This victory was India’s first major international title since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph over England. For Rohit, the achievement was even more special. Rohit Sharma, who was part of India’s victorious team in the 2007 T20 World Cup during his debut year, later led the country to its first ICC title under his captaincy in 2024.

The pressure building up to the final was overwhelming. Rohit struggled to sleep the night before. At times, he couldn’t even feel his legs as he tried to come to terms with the scale of the moment.

“Thirteen years is a long wait many don’t even have a career that lasts that long. To finally win a World Cup after waiting since 2007, it doesn’t get any bigger for me,” Rohit shared on JioHotstar’s “Champions Waali Feeling Phir Se.”

“I didn’t get any sleep that night. All I could think about was the World Cup. I was overwhelmed with nerves and could barely feel my legs. Was I nervous? Absolutely. I just don’t show it, but inside, it was overwhelming. Our plan was to depart at approximately 8:30 or 9 in the morning.”

“But I woke up at 7. From my room, I had a clear view of the ground and couldn’t stop staring at it. I remember having the thought, “In just two hours, I’ll be out on the field. And in four hours, we’ll know the outcome. The cup will either belong to us, or it won’t.”

Following India’s victory, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20Is, alongside Virat Kohli, who was named Player of the Match in the final. Just last month, both Rohit and Kohli also stepped away from Test cricket.

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