Former India captain and one of the key members of the side Virat Kohli was all pumped up on the day ICC unveiled the schedule of the upcoming cricket World Cup to be held in India. This announcement took place during a grand event held in Mumbai on June 27, exactly 100 days before the tournament's opening match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5.
This World Cup will be a momentous one since India will assume the sole responsibility of hosting the 50-over cricket extravaganza. Previously, India had jointly hosted the tournament with other sub-continent nations, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh in 1987, 1996, and 2011, respectively.
Kohli, who led the Indian team in the previous edition of the tournament held in England, still thinks about the heartbreaking loss that came against New Zealand in the semi-final. This year, he remains a key figure for India as the side aims to break its decade-long drought and secure an ICC trophy. The last time India clinched an ICC title was in 2013, under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, when they emerged victorious in the Champions Trophy.
Recalling the iconic moment back in 2011
Kohli was an integral member of the India side that won the World Cup in 2011. The star batter said that he was excited to be back in Mumbai and play in front of the crowd that cheered India on to win the trophy. Kohli shared his sentiments with the International Cricket Council (ICC), stating, “Personally, I'm looking forward to playing in Mumbai. It'd be great to experience that atmosphere again.”
The Wankhede Stadium witnessed India's glorious victory in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka. Kohli batted at No. 4 in that match and chipped in with a handy innings of 35 runs. His partnership of 83 with Gautam Gambhir for the third wicket was instrumental in India soaking up the early pressure, especially after the dismissals of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.
Recalling that memorable occasion, Kohli acknowledged his youthfulness at the time and observed the profound impact the victory had on the senior members of the team. He emphasised the significance of playing a World Cup on home turf and was all excited to embrace the enthusiasm that will be felt right through the tournament.
"I was quite young then. I saw what it meant to the seniors. I can understand what they went through and how special it is to play a home world cup and how excited they are going to be," Kohli added.
The Wankhede Stadium will be hosting India when the side takes on Qualifier 2 on November 2. Additionally, the iconic stadium will also host a semi-final clash on November 15.
India's group stage matches will take place in nine different venues across the country —Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Pune, Dharamsala, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. Their campaign will commence on October 9 in Chennai, where they will face Australia.
