Kohli ready for South African encounter

It is the turn for the Men in Blue to, finally, start their campaign in the tournament as they face off against Proteas in what would be the third clash for Faf du Plessis' side.

While South Africa would be desperate to win after having lost their first two matches, Virat Kohli is confident that kickstarting their campaign almost a week after the marquee cricket event began will be an advantage for his side. "It is an advantage in terms of understanding how the games have gone, what the conditions offer and what is the pace of play," he said on the eve of the much-awaited match. "From that point of view, we have a lot to absorb. We have a lot of positives that we can take out of starting after everyone else."

Kohli also admitted that waiting for the first match in a World Cup can be a bit about nerves as well but added that his side is raring to fire. "If you just say the words 'World Cup', it brings a different kind of feeling to your mind and heart. There's some anticipation, excitement and a little bit of nerves, which is the right combination."