Emotional Rohit channels inner Djokovic in rare celebration

India captain Rohit Sharma fulfilled his dream of winning a World Cup final with a seven-run victory over South Africa as the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup concluded in Barbados on Saturday.

After Hardik Pandya bowled the last ball of the match, an emotional Rohit lay on the ground before walking towards the centre and tasting the soil of the Kensington Oval pitch.

Photo: ICC

Later, in the post-match press conference, the 36-year-old announced his retirement from the format, following in the footsteps of his opening partner and former captain Virat Kohli.

"This [World Cup win] is what I wanted and it happened. I was very desperate for this in my life. Happy that we crossed the line this time," said the India captain. 

However unique it may seem, Rohit's soil-tasting act is reminiscent of tennis superstar Novak Djokovic's celebration after beating Rafael Nadal to win the Wimbledon title in 2011. Djokovic famously plucked some grass and soil from Centre Court and ate it in front of a large audience in London, including family, friends, supporters, and the president of Serbia.

Djokovic later explained his unusual celebration, saying, "I've always dreamt of winning Wimbledon and I wanted to do something different.

"I didn't come up with a more original idea, so I thought I might as well just eat some grass. A lot of people ask me how it tastes, and it's the best freaking grass in the world."