World Cup clash with Pakistan will bring best out of players: Virat Kohli

Nottingham: Faced with an “intimidating atmosphere”, Indian captain Virat Kohli on Thursday promised the marquee World Cup clash with Pakistan will bring the best out of his players.

Kohli was speaking after the game between India and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball being bowled. “It's been competitive for years, it’s a marquee event all over the world, honour to be a part of the big game. Brings out the best in all of us,” Kohli said of the June 16 face-off at Old Trafford.

“For Sunday, we know we’re there when it comes to the mindset. Just about going out there and having a game plan, executing it,” he said after the washout against New Zealand.

Like in previous editions of the showpiece, the upcoming India-Pakistan match has also generated a lot of buzz, with fans of both teams eagerly awaiting the start of the game.

“As soon as you enter the field, it’s calm and relaxed. The atmosphere from the outside, for the first time, it’s a bit intimidating, but we’ll look to execute well,” Kohli said.

Talking about Shikhar Dhawan, who has suffered a thumb injury, Kohli said, “Shikhar will be in a plaster for a couple of weeks, we’ll assess and see. Hopefully, he’ll be available for the latter half and the semifinals. He’s motivated, we wanted to keep him back,” Kohli said.