Indian captain Virat Kohli addressed reporters ahead of their semi-final clash against New Zealand and spoke about the possible team combinations and the mood in the camp ahead of the knockout match. The skipper also spoke about KL Rahul and the bowling attack as well as addressed the issue of handling pressure. “The mood is great, everyone is relaxed and confident. All teams work hard to get to these moments. Now whoever plays well on the day wins. It’s been a lot of hard work and intense games. There’s only opportunity that lies in front of us,” the skipper said.

Kohli also said that the environment in the camp was upbeat, although it was different compared to the league phases.

“It’s a bit different (mindset for knockouts) to be honest. League stages you can try a few things. Knockouts you have to be intense. Both teams are experienced enough to play these games. Whichever is braver in being calculative stands a chance to win,” the captain further added.

“If we’re in a situation where the opening partnership is strong and someone has to go at No. 3 to strike big, we’re absolutely open to do that too,” Kohli said.

Heaping praise on the character of his bowling attack, Kohli said that he was mighty impressed with the bowlers and how they kept coming back despite being put under a lot of pressure.

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“Our bowling attack has been up there with the best if not the best in the competition. The way we have bowled in low scoring games, and even coming back after being hit, it’s shown a lot of character,” said Kohli.

The captain was also wary about the New Zealand threat and said that his side needed to play correct cricket and be sure of what they were doing at all times.

First Published: Jul 08, 2019 16:56 IST