Virat Kohli meets US Consulate General Mike Hankey in Mumbai before leaving for New York

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli had a memorable send-off before leaving for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and USA. The 35-year-old met the United States Consulate General Mike Hankey in Mumbai, exchanging pleasantries and well-wishes before departing for the marquee event.

The two were having a warm conversation, with the Consulate General presenting Kohli a cap, and was also seen having a bat in his hand.

“Let cricket fever take over CG Hankey wishes cricketing legend Virat Kohli good luck as he heads off to the United States for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. We can’t wait to watch Team India and Team USA in action,” wrote the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai through an X post.

Kohli's timing for joining the Indian squad in the USA raised some questions about his participation in the team's warm-up clash against Bangladesh on June 01. Kohli took a late-night flight to New York and will soon be joining the squad. The former skipper was in great touch in the recently concluded IPL 2024, where he topped the scoring charts with 741 runs, representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Also Read: Virat Kohli departs for the USA ahead of T20 World Cup 2024

The Men in Blue will kick off their campaign against Ireland on June 05 in New York, followed by a clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 09. Kohli's form will undoubtedly be a pivotal factor in these crucial encounters, as India aims to lift their second T20 World Cup title.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2024:  

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Also Read: Indian team unhappy with average facilities in New York