Team India batter Virat Kohli hugged his wife and Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma after the Men in Blue clinched the Champions Trophy title by defeating New Zealand on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. A video of the same surfaced on social media as the 36-year-old right-handed batter couldn't control his joy.
Although Kohli failed to trouble the scores by much on the big night, the veteran batter still finished the tournament with 218 runs, headlined by decisive knocks against Australia and Pakistan. The dismissal against New Zealand occurred in the 20th over of the innings as spin-bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell came on to bowl his first. With the former Indian captain trying to play a flick on the on-side, he missed the ball completely as he was trapped in front.
KINGS & QUEEN .
— Vinod R Vishwakarma (@we_knowd) March 9, 2025
Virat Kohli hugged Anushka Sharma after the Match. ❣️ pic.twitter.com/9rWXdGP7rj
Kohli did go for the DRS but the review was wasted as replay returned three reds.
"To win titles, the whole team has to step up in different games" - Virat Kohli
Speaking to the host broadcaster after the four-wicket win over the Black Caps, Kohli said the collective effort and different players stepping up at different times has made the difference. He stated:
"It's been amazing, we wanted to bounce back after a tough Australia tour. Lovely playing with a bunch of amazing youngsters. They're stepping up and taking India in the right direction. After playing for so long, you look forward to playing under pressure. To win titles, the whole team has to step up in different games. People have played such impactful knocks and had spells, that collective effort is what has done it for us. I try to speak to these guys, try to share my experience, tell them how I've played for so long. When you leave, you want to leave in a better position."
It is also India's third Champions Trophy title.