Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
‘Put pressure on him and counter that’: Virat Kohli on Trent Boult's warning ahead of India-New Zealand clash
Trent Boult was all praise for Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi and said he would look to "mirror" his performance against the Men In Blue.
Team India skipper Virat Kohli said that his boys need to stay motivated going into the high-voltage clash against New Zealand at the ongoing T20 World Cup on Sunday evening.
The 32-year-old, who is leading India in his final assignment as T20I captain, also spoke in length about Trent Boult's warning, stating that this is not the first time his teammates are up against the Kiwi quick.
Talking to media earlier in the day, Boult was all praise for Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi and said he would look to "mirror" the latter's performance against the Men In Blue. Afridi in the clash between India and Pakistan had rattled the Indian top-order with the new ball, as his country beat the neighbours for the first time in World Cups. Impressed with the Pakistan pacer's display, Boult said: “I can mirror what Shaheen did the other night."
ALSO READ | 'There's a reason why we are playing on the field and not them': Kohli slams online trolls, backs Shami
Commenting on Boult's remarks, skipper Kohli said he is open for the challenge, adding his boys need to stay motivated to put pressure back on the Kiwi quick.
"We obviously will come up against some quality bowlers in this competition and the intensity which this tournament operates at is very different. So we know that we have played against these individuals, it is not something out of the ordinary that is going to come our way. It all depends on how we take the field mentally and how we counter it if Trent says he wants to replicate what Shaheen did against us then he is motivated to do so and we need to be motivated to put pressure on him and counter that," said Kohli during a virtual pre-match press conference.
"That is how the game goes, we understand what we need to do. Not thinking about other scenarios is the key to batting in pressure situations," he added.
ALSO READ | 'India have shown that they are a quality side for many years': Tim Southee
Team India were outplayed by Pakistan in their previous outing and are now hanging on the fifth position of the Group 2 table. New Zealand too lost their opening match against the same opponent and would look to go all guns against the Men In Blue.
