MS Dhoni recalls 2019 World Cup semi-final, reveals why he didn't announce retirement that day

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni didn't play any game for India after the World Cup 2019 semifinal.

Team India’s victory against New Zealand in Dharamshala has washed away the memory of their semifinal exit from the World Cup 2019 in England. If anyone has challenged Team India in big ICC events, it has been New Zealand. World Cup 2019 against the Kiwis at Old Trafford came as one of the worst setbacks for India in the ICC events. Top-order collapsed and the 5/3 score was pinching the eyes of Indian fans for the last 4 years. That was MS Dhoni’s final international game for India.  

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni, while revisiting the semifinal of World Cup 2019 at Old Trafford, revealed that he knew that he had played his last game for India when they lost a close game against New Zealand. MS Dhoni also acknowledged that a lot of emotions were running through his head after the game and he had taken a decision to put an end to his cricket career but hadn’t announced it yet. Dhoni announced his retirement after a year on 15th August 2020 at 7:29 PM. 

'Decided after the close defeat in semifinal'

While talking about the World Cup 2019 semifinal and his retirement, MS Dhoni said, “It's very difficult to control your emotions when you have lost a close game. Inside, I was planning. To me, that was the last day I played cricket for India. I announced my retirement after a year, but the fact was that day I retired.” MS Dhoni didn’t play any game for India but continued his Indian Premier League career for Chennai Super Kings and won the title twice in the last three seasons. 

MS Dhoni also revealed a chat he had with a trainer in the India team that made a clear sign of leaving Indian cricket after a glorious cricket career. “We are given these tracker machines and all that. I went to the trainer and I gave it back to him. He was like 'No, no keep it,' I was like how do I tell him that I don't need it anymore, I won't be using it? I didn't want to announce it at that point in time." MS Dhoni said while revisiting the semifinal at Old Trafford in Manchester. 

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni said that he was running high on emotions after the semifinal exit in the World Cup 2019 in England. Dhoni added, “Once you are high on emotion, you know the only thing you have done in the last 12-15 years is playing cricket and then you realise there is no more chance of representing your country. It's a very big thing.” MS Dhoni led Team India to three ICC titles under his leadership and he is the only Indian captain to do so.