You wake up excited for these games: Kohli ahead of T20 WC India-Pakistan clash

Melbourne: Ahead of his side’s high-profile clash against Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup, star Indian batter Virat Kohli said that playing at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground against the arch-rivals is going to be tough and players will be tested to the hilt both technically and mentally. In a video posted by International […]

Melbourne: Ahead of his side’s high-profile clash against Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup, star Indian batter Virat Kohli said that playing at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground against the arch-rivals is going to be tough and players will be tested to the hilt both technically and mentally.

In a video posted by International Cricket Council (ICC), Kohli talked about the challenges and excitement of playing in such high-pressure games and the importance of believing in one’s capabilities.
“You wake up excited for these kind of games. You feel grateful to be a part of this game, that you play this game and not watch it as a spectator. Go out there and be sure of who you are and have faith in your abilities,” said the former India captain.

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The right-hander also shared his views on playing against a good opposition as Pakistan while playing it at Melbourne.

“It is a tough place to play. These guys will test you to the hilt. Not just with your technique or your game, but mentally as well,” said Kohli.

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik termed the pressure of representing the country as a privilege and not a problem, while also sharing that giving 100 per cent in the game is a satisfactory feeling.

“Pressure is a privilege in position where I am sitting right now. If you look at it as a problem, you are in the wrong place. So we just need to embrace it, be real with it. The beauty is that when you have done your best, it leaves a smile on your face. That’s what you play for,” shared Karthik.

“When you play an India vs Pakistan match, it is gonna be a sea of blue and green. With that comes a lot of fun,” expressed the right-hander on the massive support both teams get during the game.

India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya heaped praises on the fans for supporting them away from home and mentioned that the players don’t feel they are playing away with the massive support they get in Australia.

“When we play here, we do not feel like playing away from home with the way we get support from people,” stated Pandya.

“As opposition, there will be banter, few things said here and there. But that is part and parcel that happens everywhere,” said Indian captain Rohit Sharma about the banter and words that are exchanged between the players during the game.

India will take on Pakistan in their opening match at the T20 World Cup at the MCG.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami.

Standby Players: Mohammed Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Shardul Thakur.