Before departing for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the West Indies USA, Indian cricket star Virat Kohli had a notable send-off in Mumbai. The 35-year-old cricketer had a pleasant meeting with Mike Hankey, the United States Consulate General, where they exchanged greetings and best wishes for the upcoming event.
During their conversation, which was warm and friendly, the Consulate General presented Kohli with a cap and was also seen holding a cricket bat. The U.S. Consulate in Mumbai shared the moment on social media, stating, “Let cricket fever take over. CG Hankey wishes cricketing legend Virat Kohli good luck as he heads off to the United States for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. We can’t wait to watch Team India and Team USA in action.”
Let cricket fever take over 🏏#CGHankey wishes cricketing legend @imVKohli good luck as he heads off to the United States for the @ICC Men's T20 World Cup. We can’t wait to watch Team India and Team USA in action!#PlayWithUS #T20WorldCup #ViratKohli #SportsDiplomacy… pic.twitter.com/ohHtDe7hI7
— U.S. Consulate Mumbai (@USAndMumbai) May 31, 2024
In a video shared by US Consulate Mumbai on its X handle (formerly Twitter), Virat Kohli said, “Honestly, I never thought that we would be playing cricket in any form in the States. Now, it’s a reality. That tells you about the growing impact of the sport in the world and in the United States more than willing to accept the change and be probably the first ones on a global scale to accept it.”
“The World Cup is a great way to start with. It’s an ideal way to begin. So, I think it’s going to have a huge impact. And, starting off with kind of a domino effect and that carries on for a long period of time.” he further added.
#DYK, the upcoming T20 World Cup is the first major cricket tournament in the United States? Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli talks about why this is a historical moment for the sport, and his aspirations for its growing impact in the United States and across the world.… pic.twitter.com/KlzWmLYbbn
— U.S. Consulate Mumbai (@USAndMumbai) May 31, 2024
Kohli’s Availability Uncertain for Warm-Up Match Against Bangladesh Ahead of T20 World Cup Opener
There were some questions regarding Kohli’s participation in the Indian team’s warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 01, as his schedule involved a late-night flight to New York. Despite this, Kohli is expected to join the Indian squad soon. The former Indian captain has been in excellent form, having finished as the top scorer in the recently concluded IPL 2024 with 741 runs, playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
India’s T20 World Cup campaign is set to begin with a match against Ireland on June 05 in New York, followed by a highly anticipated game against their arch-rivals, Pakistan, on June 09. Kohli’s performance will be crucial in these key matches as India strives to win their second T20 World Cup title.
India Squad:
– Rohit Sharma (c)
– Hardik Pandya (vc)
– Yashasvi Jaiswal
– Virat Kohli
– Suryakumar Yadav
– Rishabh Pant (wk)
– Sanju Samson (wk)
– Shivam Dube
– Ravindra Jadeja
– Axar Patel
– Kuldeep Yadav
– Yuzvendra Chahal
– Arshdeep Singh
– Jasprit Bumrah
– Mohammed Siraj
The travelling reserves for India are Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan. Kohli’s departure to join his team in the USA is a significant moment, reflecting the anticipation and excitement surrounding the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. His recent form and the warm send-off from the US Consulate General underscore his importance to the Indian team’s prospects in the tournament.
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