I’m looking forward to playing in Mumbai: Virat Kohli on India hosting the 2023 World Cup
The International Cricket Council (ICC) finally revealed the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup schedule on Tuesday. India will begin their tournament in Chennai on October 8 against Australia and play their last league stage game on November 11 against the Qualifier 1 team in Bangalore.
Former India captain Virat Kohli though is most looking forward to playing in Mumbai, the venue where he was part of India’s XI to lift the trophy 12 years back after beating Sri Lanka in the final.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to playing in Mumbai,” Kohli told ICC. “Fond memories of the finals, obviously, in 2011. It’ll be great to experience that atmosphere again.”
“I’ve played one already but I was 23 at the time. I didn’t have any idea about the expectations on the senior players. But now, being a senior myself, I can understand what they went through and how special it is to play a home World Cup. How excited people are going to be. It’s an experience people want in their careers and I’m getting to do it twice,” he added.
The big ticket contest between India and Pakan is scheduled for October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
While India will be hosting the competition for the fourth time, it will be a first instance of the two-time champions being the sole hosts.
In a unique opening matchup however, England will face New Zealand in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final in the first match of the upcoming world tournament.
