All eyes will be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as Team India is all set to kick start its ICC T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against Pakistan at the MCG on Sunday (October 23). Rohit is leading the Indian team for the first time in the World Cup, while Kohli is expected to play a key role in the team’s cause.
Well, ahead of the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash on Sunday, Kohli said that he is much more excited than the match to play in front of almost 1 lakh fans at the iconic MCG, while sharing how it is always an electrifying atmosphere during the World Cup matches.
Speaking on Star Sports show 'Cricket Live', Kohli said: “More than the game, I am looking forward to that moment (playing in front of 1 lakh supporters). The last time I experienced such a moment was at Eden Gardens where I think there were around 90,000 fans.
It was a packed stadium. When I walked out, there were legends of the game like you know, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis. The atmosphere was electrifying, but I needed to focus because you can get pulled into that environment.' The same was at Mohali in the World Cup. There's a different atmosphere that's built during World Cup matches.
It's a different feeling, and you can sense that build-up, you know there's this nervousness in the area, anticipation and everyone's buzzing. I love those moments. It's actually these moments that are part of the whole experience. You play to actually live these moments.”
Speaking about the similarities in him and Rohit, the right-hander said: “Our discussions are always on how do we win big tournaments and then, our planning and preparations are directed towards that. Ever since I have come back to the team, the atmosphere has been very good. Whenever there's this healthy camaraderie within the group, then you look forward to doing anything you can for the team. So, our understanding and vision for the game has always been similar.”
He concluded, “We always work towards covering all the loopholes no matter how small they are. We solidify such aspects and move ahead. It's very free-flowing and all pointed towards our main goal. Everyone's relaxed and know they are confident and prepared. It's just how to handle the pressure that matters. In these times, we try and lead the group for big matches and make an impact that will sort of relax the others. Once that momentum sets in, then everyone knows that you can ride that wave.”
