Virat Kohli crying after the World Cup 2019 semi-final heartbreak? Chahal reveals in the open

Yuzvendra Chahal has shared a deeply emotional moment from the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, revealing the heartbreak that followed India’s semi-final loss to New Zealand. According to the leg-spinner, the dressing room atmosphere after the defeat was heavy with silence and sorrow, with even the usually composed Virat Kohli breaking down in tears. Chahal recalled walking into the bathroom area at Old Trafford and witnessing not just Kohli but several senior players overwhelmed with emotion, quietly weeping in private as the weight of the loss sank in.

India had entered the semi-final as favorites, having topped the group stage. After a strong bowling display restricted New Zealand to a modest total of 239, the team was expected to chase it down. However, an early top-order collapse left India reeling, and despite valiant efforts from MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, the Men in Blue fell 18 runs short on the reserve day in Manchester.

“2019 World Cup, I saw him crying in the bathroom. And then I was the last batter, when I was crossing him, he had tears in his eyes. In 2019, I saw everyone crying in the bathroom," stated Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. 

Yuzvendra Chahal made the emotional revelation during his appearance on the podcast Figuring Out With Raj Shamani. While discussing the differences between Rohit Sharma’s and Virat Kohli’s leadership styles, the conversation took a more personal turn when Shamani asked Chahal if he had ever seen Kohli cry. The leg-spinner responded by recalling the heartbreaking aftermath of India’s semi-final loss to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup.

Chahal, who played in that crucial match, said the dressing room was engulfed in silence and sorrow. He specifically remembered walking into the bathroom area and witnessing Virat Kohli and several other senior players in tears, struggling to come to terms with the painful defeat. The emotional toll of that loss, especially considering the high expectations placed on the team, was visible in that moment of vulnerability, offering fans a rare insight into the human side of elite athletes.

“It was Mahi bhai’s last match. I could have done better. I still regret that. I could have pushed myself a bit more, bowled a bit better, and leaked 10-15 fewer runs. But sometimes you are in that flow, it happens so quickly that you don’t get time to think. I thought if I was calmer I could have done even better. I gave my best but it was the semi-final, a bigger stage and you have to give your 10-15% extra," Chahal added.