Virat Kohli the respected Indian cricketer expressed his disbelief at the thought of cricket being played in the United States of America (USA). His astonishment peaked on discovering that USA would cohost the upcoming ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2024. Kohli attributed this remarkable event to the increasing global influence of cricket.
The United States is poised to make its grand entrance onto the T20 World Cup stage in 2024 taking on the role of cohost alongside the West Indies. Spanning from June 1 to June 29 the tournament promises an epic display of cricket prowess. Of particular note is the muchanticipated India versus Pakistan faceoff promising a spectacle of passion and rivalry at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9.
Virat Kohli met with US Consulate General Mike Hankey in Mumbai before flying to the United States to join his teammates for the World Cup. Apart from sharing pleasantries with the US Consulate General, Kohli also discussed cricket’s growing popularity in America.
“Honestly, I never thought we would be playing cricket in any form in the States. But now it’s a reality. And that tells you about the growing impact of the sport in the world and the United States is more than willing to accept the change and be probably the first ones on a global scale to accept it, in a way, with the World Cup.”
“I think it’s a great start. It’s the ideal way to begin and it’s going to have a huge impact, and in starting off a kind of a domino effect. I hope it carries on for a long period of time.”
Virat Kohli
Kohli also stated that, with the Major Cricket League (MLC), franchise cricket has already had an impact in the United States, and that things are heading in the right path.
“We have enough people from our regions to keep the game up and alive in the States and make the others more aware about what it feels like to play and watch cricket. And I think it’s got great potential, with the MLC as well. There is already franchise cricket happening there. So I think, it’s moving in the right direction.”
Virat Kohli
Kicking off the 2024 T20 World Cup the United States will play against Canada at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on June 1.
Virat Kohli’s record in the T20 World Cup
Virat Kohli showcases an impressive history in the Mens T20 World Cup. Leading the runscoring tally in the ICC event he has gathered 1141 runs over 25 innings averaging 81.50 while maintaining a powerful strike rate of 131.30. Notably he has achieved 14 halfcenturies with a top score of 89*.
The outstanding righthanded batter showcased exceptional prowess during the 2022 competition hosted in Australia. Spanning six thrilling innings he accumulated an impressive 296 runs at an average of 98.67 and a striking strike rate of 136.41.
