Watch as Rohit Sharma explains why he ate soil from Barbados pitch after winning T20 World Cup

India emerged victorious in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa on June 29 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The thrilling match concluded with a last-ball finish, with India winning by seven runs. South Africa, needing 30 runs off the last 30 balls while chasing India's total of 176 for 7, were thwarted by crucial performances from Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and a spectacular catch by Suryakumar Yadav, which limited the Proteas to 169 for 8.

Rohit Sharma's Symbolic Gesture
Captain Rohit Sharma's emotions were evident throughout the celebration. In a notable moment, Rohit walked to the pitch, knelt down, picked up a speck of soil, and ate it. He later explained that this act was not premeditated but came naturally. "Nothing was scripted; it was all coming instinctively. I was feeling the moment," Rohit said in a video recorded by the BCCI during his photoshoot with the trophy.




Significance of the Pitch
Rohit elaborated on the importance of the pitch in their victory. "That pitch gave us this (T20 World Cup), we played on that particular pitch, and we won the game on that particular ground. I will remember that ground and that pitch forever in my life," he shared. He wanted to keep a piece of the pitch as a memento, highlighting the special moments and the significance of the ground where their dreams came true.

Post-Match Celebrations
The celebration continued well into the night, with the team reveling in their victory. Rohit mentioned that the party extended until the early hours of the morning. "Last night, we were having a good time, had a blast with the teammates till very early morning. So I would say I didn't sleep properly, but that's absolutely fine for me," he said. Due to a hurricane around Barbados, the team's departure has been delayed, and they are expected to return to India by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Rohit's Retirement Announcement
At the post-match press conference, Rohit announced his retirement from T20Is, a decision that his teammate Virat Kohli also made soon after the final. "Like I said, this moment was very, very special for all of us, and I want to live it, each moment, each minute, each second that is passing by, I want to make the most of it," Rohit stated, with the T20 World Cup trophy beside him.

Reflecting on the Victory
Rohit described the victory as surreal and mentioned that the reality of their achievement still hadn't fully sunk in. "We had dreamt about it, worked hard as a unit for such a long period of time. To see this now with us, we feel quite relieved as well because when you work hard for something and you eventually get it in the end, it feels really really nice," he explained. The captain expressed a mix of relief and joy, acknowledging the long journey and hard work that led to this triumph.


Team's Return to India
The T20 champions are now set to return home, with their arrival expected by midweek. Despite the sleepless night, Rohit seemed content, planning to catch up on rest once he gets back. "There is a lot of time for me to go back home and sleep. So I am going to catch up on that," Rohit added.

Rohit Sharma concluded his remarks with gratitude and a sense of fulfillment, emphasizing the special nature of the victory. "This moment was very, very special for all of us, and I want to live it, each moment, each minute, each second that is passing by, I want to make the most of it," he said, reflecting on the culmination of their hard work and the joy of achieving their dreams.


(With inputs from TOI)