Moments after India’s thrilling victory over South Africa by seven runs in the T20 World Cup final at Kensington Oval in Barbados, a video of captain Rohit Sharma went viral, stirring excitement on social media. The video captured Rohit’s walk before receiving the T20 World Cup trophy from BCCI secretary Jay Shah, drawing comparisons to Lionel Messi’s celebrated trophy walk after Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup win.
During the medal-presentation ceremony, Kuldeep Yadav mentioned Messi’s iconic walk to Rohit, who then attempted to mimic it. This sparked widespread agreement among fans online that Rohit had recreated Messi’s moment. However, WWE legend Ric Flair offered a different perspective, suggesting it was actually inspired by his signature ‘Ric Flair strut.’
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the two-time WWE Hall of Famer posted, “.@ImRo45 Taking A Page Out Of My Playbook! WOOOOO!” To further support his claim, Flair recreated Rohit’s viral celebration three days later, captioning the video: “The Worldwide Sensation! WOOOOO!”
Rohit played a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph, amassing 257 runs in eight innings, making him the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. Despite an early dismissal during India’s top-order collapse in the powerplay, the team relied on Virat Kohli, who, despite struggling for form throughout the tournament, delivered a vital 76 off 59 balls. Kohli’s match-winning 72-run partnership with Axar Patel helped India set a target of 177 runs.
The final saw tense moments as Heinrich Klaasen’s rapid fifty brought South Africa within striking distance, needing just 25 runs off 25 balls. However, India’s bowlers rose to the occasion, delivering under pressure in the death overs to clinch victory by seven runs.
This win marked India’s second T20 World Cup title, their first global championship in 13 years, and their maiden ICC trophy in 11 years, making the victory a historic moment for Indian cricket.