Indian captain Virat Kohli assured fans that his team will refrain from making the same mistakes they did in the Champions Trophy 2017 final as they begin their World Cup journey.
The Men in Blue suffered a heavy defeat against rivals Pakistan in the finals, succumbing to just 158 runs while chasing a total of 338. On Wednesday, they will play their first ODI in an ICC tournament ever since, as they take on a struggling South African side.
Kohli believes that the team is now in better shape to tackle the opposition in England.
“The lessons from the Champions Trophy – is to play the cricket we know how to play. In the final, the better side won. We have plugged the gaps. We brought in wrist spinners to take wickets in the middle overs. We are a stronger side than Champions Trophy side.”
“The first week has been a gradual progress. A couple of lopsided games, a couple of one-sided games. There is a lot to learn about composure. The teams that are more composed have better chances of winning games, have better chances of handling pressure,” the Indian skipper told reporters ahead of their first game in the tournament.
The 30-year-old claimed that the team that can handle pressure better will eventually claim the highly coveted trophy.
“We need to bring our experience into play to make better decisions tomorrow. The team that can handle pressure better will win the tournament.”
