When the schedule for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 (co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia) was unveiled on October 1, it not only excited cricket fans but also gave rise to a wave of nostalgia. The mega-event will be held from October 2 to November 21, and it will come to an end as another chapter of Virat Kohli's life closes. The Indian batting superstar has revealed that the 2027 World Cup will be his last.
For someone who has scripted cricketing history, the tournament in 2027 will be the ultimate mission. The second-highest run-scorer in the history of the World Cup has amassed a staggering 1,795 runs in 37 innings at an astonishing average of 59.83. The right-handed batsman needs 483 runs to equal Sachin Tendulkar's record of 2,278 runs in the history of the tournament. But scoring more runs is not on Kohli's mind as he thinks of the end of his ODI World Cup journey.
Four Editions of World Cup Magic: Virat Kohli
It has been quite the journey for Kohli as a World Cup batter, who has played in four editions of the tournament:
World Cup 2011 (India): Kohli made his World Cup debut and announced himself on the big stage by scoring a thrilling unbeaten century against Bangladesh in the 2011 World Cup in Mirpur. He amassed 282 runs in the tournament, including his 100 off 83 balls.
World Cup 2015 (Australia & New Zealand): The right-handed batsman notched up 305 runs, including his career-best 107 against Pakistan in Adelaide.
World Cup 2019 (England): Kohli led India in the 2019 World Cup and scored 443 runs, including five successive fifties.
World Cup 2023 (India): The Indian captain scored a sensational 765 runs in the 2023 World Cup at an outstanding average of 95.62. He recorded three centuries and six half-centuries during the campaign.
But Kohli's two knocks of 101 and 117 in the 2023 World Cup have remained etched in the memories of Indian cricket fans.
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The Unfinished Business of 2023
It was not enough for the Indian batting maestro as India lost the final to Australia in Ahmedabad after having chased down a target of 329 in the 35th over. Kohli, again, seemed to be on his way to a World Cup century before he was bowled out for 54, and the entire Eden Gardens went into palpable despair. It was the moment that haunted Kohli as the 37-year-old prepares to bid adieu to the sport.
Speaking to JioStar ahead of the World Cup, Kohli spoke about his feelings on the biggest stage of the limited-overs tournament:
“I've always been someone; every game that we play, I want to be the guy who wins us the game, so that's never going to go away from me. I am made that way. So, my goal (at the World Cup) is to win as many games as I can for the team – 60-70% of the games would be phenomenal.
“My dream is to play a match-winning, finishing knock in the finals, like chasing a score. That's the ideal scenario. If it happens, great. If it doesn't happen, we win the World Cup, I'll be happy.”
The Curtain Call Waits
The cricket fans may expect Kohli to play at the highest level during the World Cup 2027. For the master blaster, it will be his swan song as he bids adieu to the limited-overs format. As the clock ticks towards the start of October 2026, Virat Kohli will be thinking of how he could etch his name further in the cricketing annals of the country.
Whether Kohli will be celebrating a successful chase on an African field or staying at the non-striker's end, he will leave it all out on the pitch during the World Cup 2027.