Overview

• Virat Kohli described the emotional aftermath of India’s 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand as a ‘horrible hangover,’ leaving him dazed and unsure of how to move forward.
• India, tournament favorites, topped the group stage but lost the semi-final by 18 runs after rain forced the match into a reserve day, disrupting their momentum.
• Kohli highlighted the challenges posed by early morning conditions on the reserve day, which he believes impacted the team’s performance and preparation.
• The 2019 loss was part of a broader pattern of near-misses for Kohli, who cited setbacks in the 2014 final, 2015 and 2016 semi-finals, and the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
• Emphasizing resilience, Kohli reflected on the difficulty of accepting setbacks but stressed the importance of moving forward and learning from such experiences.