India feel confident before 'most challenging' World Cup, says Kohli
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India are very confident about their form, captain Virat Kohli said on Tuesday before his squad depart for the 10-nation World Cup in England and Wales starting next week.
“Personally, I think this is probably the most challenging World Cup of all the three that I've been part of, because of the format,” the 30-year-old Kohli told reporters in Mumbai ahead of the team's departure.
The World Cup will use a revised format to decide the semi-finalists, with the teams all playing each other in the round-robin stage.
“We go into the World Cup feeling very balanced and confident. All our players have been in great form in the IPL,” Kohli said referring to the Indian Premier League which ended this month.
The India squad will travel to England on Wednesday in their quest for a third World Cup title. They begin their campaign against South Africa in Southampton on June 5.
The 46-day event starts on May 30 and will conclude with the final at Lord's in London on July 14.
“Any team can beat any team ... The gap is much closer now between teams,” India coach Ravi Shastri said.
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Comments (78) Closed
May 21, 2019 05:53pm
He is rich solid
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May 21, 2019 06:04pm
All teams say they are confident but only one can be Champions !!!!!
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May 21, 2019 06:11pm
Best team best captain , we will definitely win inshallah
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May 21, 2019 06:18pm
This format suits strong teams like India, England and Australia the most. All three will be in the semis with likely NZ or Pak as the 4th contender. From then on, its knock-out and any thing can happen on that day.
Good luck Pakistan. Our hopes are almost none, but we still stand by you.
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May 21, 2019 06:36pm
Let's wait and see what actually happens on the ground in England and Wales as the 2019 World Cup Cricket tourney gets underway on May 30, 2019 onwards?
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May 21, 2019 06:37pm
His body language shows the conference. Good luck boys.
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May 21, 2019 06:44pm
Good to be confident, but not over confident. England and Pakistan are good teams to beat in this tournament.
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May 21, 2019 06:45pm
Pakistani team will be beat India in every match....
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May 21, 2019 06:46pm
You are looking child infront of Pakistani team...
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May 21, 2019 06:52pm
I don’t think IPL skills will work in World Cup. Also not sure which Indian players are in form. Batsmen aren’t scoring and bowlers are worn out.
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May 21, 2019 06:53pm
Keep your mouth shut, just play your game positively.
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May 21, 2019 07:00pm
India has the Midas touch. Whatever they touch seems to turn to gold
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May 21, 2019 07:00pm
My money is on a India-England final
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May 21, 2019 07:25pm
@Canadian, You mean Pakistan which got thrashed 0-4 in the hands of England 2 days back?
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May 21, 2019 07:25pm
Wishing all participating teams and their fans a jolly good Cricket World Cup 2019.
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May 21, 2019 07:29pm
@Nadeem, first learn English
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May 21, 2019 07:32pm
Kholi true professional. Respected all teams strength in the press conference and this is what makes him cut above than any modern cricket captains.
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May 21, 2019 07:36pm
@Nadeem,We saw this recently
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May 21, 2019 07:39pm
@Swiss Neutral, you mean one Asian !!! team
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May 21, 2019 07:44pm
No doubt India USA very good team at the moment and they are hot favorites along with England. Pak has no chance to make semis.
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May 21, 2019 07:47pm
Good.luck to all teams...May the better team win the cup..
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May 21, 2019 07:48pm
It’s England all the way this time. They are in a really good form plus playing at home, what else you need to win the tournament.
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May 21, 2019 07:51pm
Can we have a interview with OUR team please?
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May 21, 2019 07:54pm
You were confident until Champions Trophy Final 2017 too when you lost your way in Final.
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May 21, 2019 08:06pm
Anybody from top 5 teams can win WC.
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May 21, 2019 08:25pm
2 or 3 Asian teams are going to make semifinals.
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May 21, 2019 08:25pm
Why are only 10 teams allowed ?Why?
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May 21, 2019 08:28pm
@Shahryar Shirazi, excellent analysis sir
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May 21, 2019 08:30pm
@Canadian, Pak team which had world class bowling unit in the past looked toothless in 0-4 defeat against England team.
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May 21, 2019 08:42pm
@Lilly,
And 5-0 before that in their own home ground.
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May 21, 2019 08:47pm
@Nadeem, the team which lost 11-0 on trot.
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May 21, 2019 08:49pm
Over confident and expressing it could be a downfall. Watch out !
It’s like Pakistan FO were saying that they don’t need IMF but when tyre hits the road they have to be recused by the one they blame !
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May 21, 2019 08:50pm
I think Pakistan is having a good team and can win the world cup because last time when Pakistan won the world cup was 2nd after India won and this time also its 2nd after the last world cup that India won..... Just saying ;)
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May 21, 2019 09:30pm
@Swiss Neutral,
Why would any team take the trouble of going if they were not confident of giving their best? This is not a school exam, you know...
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May 21, 2019 09:54pm
India will have a tough time in English conditions as they are used to placid tracks. Remember last year's drubbing in England? Just saying! England or Australia are favourites to win.
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May 21, 2019 09:57pm
Pakistan will hardly win 3 matches in the round robin league. No chance to make it to semis. WI will rout them in the opening game.
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May 21, 2019 10:12pm
@Nadeem, Duh ! OK.
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May 21, 2019 10:40pm
@Sarah, woken up after 4-0 drubbing.
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May 21, 2019 10:42pm
@desi dimag, Why shut? And who are you to say that?
I think such things are a formality. You got charged up for nothing.
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May 21, 2019 11:01pm
Don't know about Pakistan they are very unpredictable lost their last 11 matches on the trot will be huge if they make it to the semi's
England,india,Australia for sure for the semis
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May 21, 2019 11:09pm
@Shahryar Shirazi, Pakistan is a mercurial team as such nobody should risk underrating them! Pakistan is a strong contender. In case of Pakistan, all that you hear about Pakistan team, board etc. is one thing and World Cup is totally different.
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May 21, 2019 11:27pm
India and England are the top two contenders for this world cup.
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May 21, 2019 11:40pm
Take my words here... both Afghanistan and Bangladesh will have few surprise wins over full strength main teams although they are unlikely to make into semis.
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May 21, 2019 11:42pm
Indian team without doubt strong and balance. And with incredible Kohli they are favourite. Wishing all the teams the best.
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May 21, 2019 11:43pm
India is a good team but any team can win or beat other team in any sports. India won in 1983 and nobody has predicted or even given them even a 1% chance. Afganistan will beat at least 1-2 big teams in this World Cup.
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May 21, 2019 11:44pm
@Nadeem, - just like all past world cups in both formats.
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May 22, 2019 12:06am
@Indian kashmiri, Looks like India forgot how it got beat by Pak the last time.
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May 22, 2019 12:07am
All the best. India is a top contender. Let the show begin.
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May 22, 2019 12:09am
@Canadian, Pakistan is no threat. They can cause an upset but cannot give consistent performance.
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May 22, 2019 12:09am
@A shah, Australia-England or South Africa-England Final.
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May 22, 2019 12:30am
@John Dobbs, UK - India's recent ODI record against & in South Africa, England, Australia & New Zealand is 12-5 (won 12, lost 5). If you still think that India can only win on placid wickets, you are either biased or having been paying attention.
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May 22, 2019 12:46am
Overconfidence kills
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May 22, 2019 12:47am
@Sohail, in Asia cup??
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May 22, 2019 01:01am
@Sarah, you get confident when you rely on your hard work and skills, people riding their luck wont know
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May 22, 2019 01:01am
@Sohail, last time it was Asia cup where even Bangladesh defeated you. On your home ground
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May 22, 2019 01:34am
The fun thing about world cup is that one bad day and you are out or one good day and you are in.
There are a lot of nerves playing in it. The one who hold the nerves best will prevail. You cannot count any team out every team had a chance including South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.
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May 22, 2019 01:36am
@Sohail, Yes and no. We forgot by beating you, without any room for doubt, in the Asia cup. And you forgot that. You didn't want to remember.
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May 22, 2019 01:49am
@Sohail, bhaijaan Asia Cup !!
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May 22, 2019 02:14am
@Sohail, last time? When? In asia cup twice?
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May 22, 2019 02:22am
Great player - the best batsman of our times and one the greatest ever. Good luck Virat - you now have the chance to be one of the legendary captains....
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May 22, 2019 02:24am
@John Dobbs, UK, You probably have a point, but English bowlers took some stick against Pakistan in the past few weeks.
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May 22, 2019 02:30am
Kohli is a true champ.
India has a real chance with him, Dhoni and Jaspit Bhumrah in top forms.
But this is the most open world cup ever. Any team can win!
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May 22, 2019 02:57am
@Canadian, England and Pakistan good team....Pakistan?
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May 22, 2019 03:30am
@Indian kashmiri, Pakistan will give India second surprise in a year InshaAllah
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May 22, 2019 04:09am
@Lilly, lost , yes - thrashed , no . It could have easily been 3-1 Pakistan .
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May 22, 2019 04:19am
@Sohail, actually the last time it was India that thrashed Pakistan.
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May 22, 2019 04:25am
Indian team should play freely and naturally. Game of cricket is not just about winning. Memorable shots and balling or fielding etc moments live forever.
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May 22, 2019 04:32am
PMIK must interfere and select players himself if we want to win.
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May 22, 2019 05:23am
@Sohail,
Last time India won by 9 wickets. Dhawan was gracious enough to get run out otherwise it would have been worst defeat for Pakistan in it's history.
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May 22, 2019 05:59am
@Nadeem, 6-0
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May 22, 2019 06:28am
@Khurram, then on what basis Hasnain got in to the team ?
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May 22, 2019 06:51am
@Sohail, one time.....just one time in so many matches played between the two teams over last 5 years across different formats in 5 diff tournaments.
You guys, at times, sound like followers of some minnow team for broaching up that match all the time.
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May 22, 2019 07:03am
I predict India, England, Australia, South Africa in semis. NZ or Pakistan may upset one of the top 4 on a given day but unlikely.
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May 22, 2019 08:24am
India will win this coming world cup! It has been decided. No point to play it anymore since India will win.
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May 22, 2019 08:26am
@Sarah, your comment belongs in forum a decade old. But go ahead.
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May 22, 2019 08:26am
@Azad Kashmiri "Pakistan will give India second surprise in a year"
Which was the first?
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May 22, 2019 08:32am
England, India or West Indies. These 3 have a chance.
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May 22, 2019 03:55pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, why it ended with question mark? did you ask a question?
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