Virat Kohli reveals 2019 World Cup semifinal loss left him 'distraught' and confirms 2027 will be his last World Cup for India

India's recent ICC triumphs may have ended their long-standing trophy drought, with back-to-back T20 World Cup titles followed by the Champions Trophy, but Virat Kohli has revealed that some World Cup heartbreaks remain painfully fresh — none more so than the 2019 semifinal loss to New Zealand, which he says left him "distraught".

'2019 was a jolt for us'

The semifinal in Manchester stretched across two days after persistent rain interrupted New Zealand's innings in the 47th over. The Black Caps returned the following morning to finish on 239/8, and India then fell 18 runs short in the chase. The match is remembered for MS Dhoni's heartbreaking run-out by Martin Guptill in the 49th over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took three wickets in that game, recently described the defeat as "heartbreaking" — and Kohli agreed with his former India team-mate.

"Playing Australia in the 2015 semifinal, you are very well aware of your strengths and weaknesses and Australia is always difficult. We always knew that if it gets to a massive score, it will be tough, and that is what happened. They were phenomenal," Kohli told JioStar ahead of India's first ODI against West Indies.

"But 2019 was a jolt for us. 240... it rained out. Had we played that day, things would have been different. But next morning, fresh new ball attack. They got the best of the conditions and they put us under attack and they banked on the hesitation that we had."

He added: "That was too tough to swallow and process. I was distraught. After that I was totally gone mentally for a couple of months."

Kohli remembers the 2023 dressing-room atmosphere

Kohli viewed India's run to the 2023 World Cup final differently, describing the campaign as a "massive step forward" in terms of both talent and performance. More than the results, he remembered the atmosphere within the squad and the way players responded to setbacks.

"That whole World Cup was great, the environment was phenomenal. Within the team, you could see the camaraderie; everyone was happy playing for each other," he said.

"Even losing someone like Hardik early on, we never spoke about what would happen next although it was a big loss in terms of what he brings. But Shami came and you know what he can do. So, everyone had a feeling that it was our World Cup."

'I feel the same about the World Cup final'

India's campaign ultimately ended with a defeat to Australia in the final in Ahmedabad — another result Kohli found difficult to process. He compared the lingering pain to the flashbacks he experienced after the 2016 IPL final, which continued until Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL in 2025.

"Before we won the IPL in 2025, I used to get flashbacks of the 2016 final. I feel the same about the World Cup final as well," Kohli said.

"I was playing on 54 and had set myself up for a big hundred; like, if I got 140-150, we would be in a great position to win that game. But as soon as I played on, it was very tough to process for many days. And you keep thinking about it."

Unfinished World Cup business

Despite the painful memories, Kohli does not believe his World Cup journey is complete. "The thought will never cross my mind that the business I had is finished. As long as you're playing, there is always something to look forward to. And I'm looking forward to the World Cup, looking at what lies ahead for me," he said.

"When the World Cup is played, when we play an ICC tournament, it has its own unique challenge, because you face different opponents, you play at different venues. So, you have to prepare differently, think in a different way and that is the challenge."

Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ICC tournament will be his last World Cup for India — a decision that lends added significance to his next campaign. "For me, it's the last World Cup I'm going to play for India. And that is my motivation," he added.